To the south of the ice zone, along the coasts of the northern seas, a tundra zone stretches. For thousands of kilometers from west to east - a cold treeless plain.
Winter in the tundra is long and very severe (frost down to -50). In the middle of winter, the polar night lasts for about 2 months. You can see the polar lights in the sky.
Very strong winds constantly blow in the tundra. In winter, there is often a blizzard and the wind speed reaches 30-40 m per second. Throwing up clouds of snow, knocking people down and overturning sleds with deer, a blizzard rages in the vast expanses of the tundra. Often it lasts 5-6 days. Winds blow snow from hills into hollows, river valleys, and the bare ground freezes heavily.
Corrosion is the mechanical effect of snow driven by strong winds. Corrosion is a powerful stream of solid ice particles that can damage and cut plants protruding from under the snow.
The climate in the tundra is severe, the summer is very short (2-3 months) and cool. The temperature in July does not exceed +14 C. And although the polar day comes, there are often frosts, and sometimes even snow falls. Cold winds blow in the tundra all year round. The tundra zone has a very large extent from west to east. The vegetation cover of this zone is not the same in the western and eastern regions.
According to the nature of the landscape, the tundra can be peaty, swampy and rocky. The vegetation is mainly mosses and lichens, sometimes low-growing grasses are found, and very rare representatives are dwarf birches and creeping polar willows. There are no shrubs in the tundra, they are only located on the border with the taiga zone, and to the north, all vegetation spreads near the ground.
During a short summer, the surface of the tundra thaws about 50 cm deep, and below (almost 500 m) lies a layer of permafrost that never thaws.
Permafrost does not let rain and melt water to the depth. And from the surface, water evaporates slowly due to the low temperature. Therefore, there are many swamps and lakes in the tundra, and the soil is moist.
How plants are adapted in the tundra: dwarf forms of plants; their small leaves are often folded, covered with hair, have a wax coating; plants creep along the ground, forming pillows; roots are located close to the surface; many flowering plants tolerate frost; bright color of flowers, attracts insects; perennial plants.
The main representatives of typical tundras are sedges and mosses, which form a closed sod 5-10 cm thick. Mushrooms, lichens live in it, stems and rhizomes of flowering plants are immersed in it. The tundra is dominated by shrubs, perennial grasses, mosses, which tolerate harsh natural conditions well.
Reindeer moss.
Green moss. Peat mosses.
Arctic red bearberry. On the right is a cladonia lichen.
Tundra plants. 1. Blueberry. 2. Lingonberry. 3. Crow is black. 4. Cloudberry. 5. Loydia late. 6. Onion koroda. 7. Princess. 8. Vaginal cottonseed. 9. Sedge swordtail. 10. Dwarf birch. 11. Willow cuneiform.
Sometimes the color of the lichen thallus depends on the color of lichen acids, which are deposited in the form of crystals or grains on the surface of the hyphae.
Most lichen acids are colorless, but some of them are colored, and sometimes very brightly - in yellow, orange, red and other colors. The color of the crystals of these substances determines the color of the entire thallus.
And here the most important factor contributing to the formation of lichen substances is light. The brighter the lighting in the place where the lichen grows, the brighter it is colored.
mushrooms
Cloudberry.
In the short months of summer, the tundra turns into a flower and berry garden. It is replete with bright corollas of petals, beads of lingonberries, cranberries, cloudberries glow with lights, bluish blueberries turn blue. Even ten times as large as now, the population would not be enough to have time to collect and preserve the harvest of edible berries!
Crowberry.
Herbaceous plants are represented by sedges, cotton grasses, and grasses. Dryad, or partridge grass, various types of saxifrage, various polar poppies, and forget-me-not play an important role in vegetation. One of the first to bloom is the ice new version, which is called the arctic rose. Cotton grass.
Novosiversia icy, arctic rose.
Dryad.
Highlander viviparous This plant has developed the ability to viviparous. Bulbs and nodules develop in inflorescences instead of flowers, capable of giving rise to a new plant.
Veronica is gray. Phillodoce.
Veronica is gray. Phillodoce.
Arctic kopeechnik.
The flora of the tundra natural zone is not rich. First of all, this is due to the harsh climatic conditions. Tundra landscapes can be swampy, peaty and rocky. There is no fertile soil ideal for the development of plants. Various types of moss grow in swampy areas. Among the mosses there are whole fields of lingonberries, cloudberries and blueberries. By autumn, many fruits ripen in these berry fields. Plants similar to moss grow on peaty and stony soils of the tundra. One of these yagel. This plant covers vast areas of the tundra. Moss is so abundant that entire herds of wild deer feed on it all year round.
In the tundra there are not only mosses and reindeer mosses. Here, in places well protected from the strong and, in the valleys of rivers or lakes, you can find large meadows where various grasses reach a height of half a meter.
The tundra is also characterized by the complete absence of forests. Of the trees, only polar willow and dwarf birch are found. These trees are more like shrubs. The dwarf birch is so small that its thin twisted trunk practically lies and hides in moss or reindeer moss. Only small branches with miniature leaves are raised up. The polar willow is even smaller than the birch. In times of snowfall, all its branches are covered with snow.
Tundra animals
The most numerous inhabitants of the tundra belong to the class of birds. Especially in summer, a large number of geese, ducks and flies here. In lakes and rivers, they look for their food, mainly insects, plants and small fish. There are so many birds in the tundra that some of its reservoirs either turn white from geese or turn black from ducks. Everywhere you can hear the cries and cackling of birds.
In summer, the tundra is teeming with midges and mosquitoes. They rush through the air like clouds, attack animals and people, and do not give them rest either at night or during the day. To get rid of annoying insects, people light fires or dress in special suits.
During severe winters, most of the birds fly to the southern regions. Not so rarely numerous herds of reindeer rush through here. With the help of their hooves, they dig moss from under the ground. Sometimes you can see Arctic foxes, musk oxen, lemmings and stoats here. Occasionally, a snowy owl catches the eye in the tundra. Its color is white, and therefore the partridges and lemmings, on which it hunts, simply do not notice it against the backdrop of snow.
Most of the animals of the tundra are covered with dense plumage or wool. Their winter color tends to turn white, which helps them hide from enemies or sneak up on their prey.
The tundra zone is located in the north of our country in a strip without gaps from the Kola Peninsula to Chukotka. It occupies 14% of the country's territory. Vegetation in the tundra is not easy. Winter lasts 7-8 months, and summer is short and cold. In summer, the soil warms up only a few centimeters. From this it follows that, in the tundra, only the uppermost layer of soil and the lowest layer of air, near the ground, are more favorable for the existence of plants. Then it is not surprising that most of the tundra vegetation is very low, they are flattened on the ground, and their roots grow mainly in the upper soil layer and hardly move into the depths.
A typical tundra is a treeless area with a stunted and not always continuous flora. Mosses and lichens underlie it, against their background, undersized flowering plants develop - shrubs, shrubs, grasses. There are no trees in the natural tundra - the circumstances of existence here are too harsh for them. Only in the very south of the tundra region, in more suitable climatic conditions, can one come across individual trees.
Mosses and lichens play a very important role in the vegetation cover of the tundra. There are many types of them here, and they often form a continuous carpet over large spaces. Both mosses and lichens perfectly tolerate the harsh conditions of the tundra. The soil layer as a source of water and nutrients for mosses and lichens is almost not required - they get everything they need in the main from the atmosphere. They do not have full-fledged roots, but only thin filamentous offspring are formed, their main purpose is to attach plants to the soil. After all, mosses and lichens, due to their low altitude, make the best use of the warmest layer of air in summer.
The key mass of flowering plants in the tundra are shrubs, dwarf shrubs and perennial herbs. Shrubs differ from shrubs only in smaller dimensions - their height is almost the same as that of grass. Despite this, their branches become lignified, covered with a thin layer of protective cork tissue on the outside and carry wintering buds. Among these plants, you can often find some dwarf species of willows (herbaceous willow), wild rosemary, blueberry, crowberry, dwarf birch.
Almost all herbaceous plants of the tundra are perennial. Some cereals are found among them, for example: squat fescue, alpine meadow grass, arctic bluegrass, alpine foxtail, etc. You can find hard sedge, and other sedges. Legumes are also represented by several samples: umbrella astragalus, obscure kopeechnik, dirty hollywort. However, most plant species belong to the so-called forbs - representatives of various families of dicotyledonous plants. From this group of plants, one can single out the viviparous mountaineer, Eder's mytnik, bathing suits - European and Asian, alpine cornflower, Rhodiola rosea, geraniums - white-flowered and forest.
Below we will take a closer look at some of the plants.
Dwarf birch or dwarf birch.
The height of the dwarf birch is small - rarely more than 70 centimeters. It grows not like a tree, but like a tree-like shrub. Its branches do not rise high, and in most cases they simply spread out on the ground. The width of its sheet is often longer, and the shape of the sheet is rounded.
Blueberry, or gonobobel.
This is a small shrub. A sign that distinguishes this plant is foliage with a bluish tint. Deciduous shrub. Blueberry flowers are inconspicuous, soft, white, and sometimes pink. Blueberry fruits are bluish, spherical berries with a bluish coating.
Cloudberry.
Raspberries are the closest relative of cloudberries. Dioecious plant fruits consist of several small juicy fruitlets, connected to each other into one. Each fruit is a bit like a tiny cherry: the outside is pulp, and the inside is a stone. The fruits contain about 3-6% sugar and citric acid.
Moss lichen or reindeer moss
This lichen is one of the largest, it can reach 10-15 cm in height. It resembles a miniature tree - it has a thicker "trunk" growing from the ground, and small thin winding "branches".
What is the tundra in the minds of people? Imagination begins to draw a snowy deserted desert, or rather, the steppe, only the northern one. Permafrost or, as they say now, perennial, does not bring the desire to visit these places. But people live here too, some lead a settled life, some - nomadic. And our story is about tundra plants.
Geographical location and climatic conditions of the tundra
It should be noted that the tundra is not monotonous, it can be of different types:
- Arctic.
- Typical.
- Forest-tundra.
- Mountain.
The Arctic tundra is located in North America. It is characterized by strong hurricane winds, air temperature up to -60 o C. Summer is short, only a few weeks with temperatures up to +5 o C. Permafrost does not allow melted moisture to go deep into the ground, and the tundra takes the form of a swamp with plants in the form of mosses and lichens .
A typical tundra is located south of the Arctic not only in America, but also in Russia, the climate here is somewhat milder. Winter temperature - up to -50 o C. The warm period lasts from May to October, the average temperature is +5-10 o C. The temperature can stay up to +25 o C for several days. The earth warms up deeper, but even here there is swampiness, the presence of small streams and lakes. Shrubs appear among mosses and lichens.
The forest tundra, respectively, is located south of the typical tundra and is represented by a vast territory on two continents. Characterized by the appearance of small trees. The temperature ranges from -40 o C to +15 o C. There are many lakes here.
Climatic conditions depend not only on how many degrees north of the equator this or that territory is located, they also vary depending on the height above sea level. In other words, in mountain systems. The higher in the mountains, the closer the climate is to the Arctic (strong wind, low precipitation, low temperatures, except that there are not so many swamps and lakes).
What plant grows in the tundra?
Plants here are forced to adapt to harsh conditions, and they do it very successfully. The flora of the tundra has a number of distinctive characteristics:
So what plant grows in the tundra? One that meets the above features that ensure its survival in adverse climatic conditions.
plant names
What plants are found in the tundra? The main representatives of the plant world are mosses and lichens. According to official data, about 200 species of lichens have been identified in Yamal. Mosses and lichens are closely intertwined, forming "carpets", as a rule, of the same species. The most common include: green and peat moss, reindeer moss (reindeer moss), cladonia lichen, arctic red bearberry. The tundra plants shown above in the photo look like a colorful carpet.
Such plant species as cloudberry, blueberry, lingonberry, black crowberry, late lloydia, koroda onion, princess, vaginal cottongrass, swordskin sedge, dwarf birch, wedge-leaved willow and others are also widespread.
Why are plants in the tundra undersized?
The reason is corrosion. The word is similar to "corrosion" not only visually, but also in its essence - the desire to destroy. Strong hurricane winds in winter move blocks of ice, rock fragments, various boulders, and sand. This mass moves along the tundra at different speeds, turning and polishing all hard objects in its path. What plants in the tundra can resist it? There is no such! Everything above the dense cover of snow is cut off and carried away.
Another argument in favor of dwarf plant species is the fact that the surface of the earth thaws no deeper than 50 cm, and then permafrost extends for 500 m. To combat wind and frost, a strong branched root system is needed, and 50 cm does not allow this.
Yagel or reindeer moss
Yagel is one of the most useful lichens in the tundra (and not only). It is a symbiosis of marsupials, green algae and bacteria. It is a very strong natural antibiotic. Not picky about climate and soil. It does not tolerate pollution, therefore it does not grow near large cities. This perennial plant develops slowly and can be up to 500 years old. Moss is loved by deer, but people often use it as a medicinal plant. If reindeer pastures have been in the same place for several years, then it may take up to 15 years to grow a new reindeer moss.
Cloudberry
Even if you are not familiar with many tundra plants, cloudberries are most likely an exception. It is a perennial herb with a bony fruit that looks like an orange raspberry. It is considered a valuable commercial plant. They can harvest both its leaves and flowers, fruits. Like many tundra plants, cloudberries are a vivid example of the northern flora: they ripen in a short period, and the fruits are just a pantry of vitamins and minerals. It contains cobalt, potassium, iron, chromium, phosphorus, sodium, copper. The content of vitamin A is higher than in the recognized leader - carrots, and more vitamin C than in an orange.
Cowberry
A small shrub plant up to 30 cm high. The berries are tart and bitter, so they are frozen and soaked, then they become sweet. Lingonberries are used as a medicinal plant. Many are familiar with the diuretic properties of leaves, in addition, lingonberries have anti-inflammatory, tonic, wound healing, antipyretic, antiscorbutic, anthelmintic properties. And that's not all. Therefore, it is harvested from May to October itself.
Blueberry
It is a low shrub. Blueberries are another spectacular northern berry. It is a close relative of blueberries and lingonberries. It is possible to describe its useful properties for a very long time. Most often, blueberries are used for eye, cardiovascular, gastric and intestinal diseases, as well as for diabetes. It may be easier to tell what this plant does not have, and what diseases it does not treat.
By the way, blueberries are very fond of gardeners living in a warmer climate for their taste and medicinal qualities.
Crowberry black
Crowberry, a small creeping shrub, got its name because of the color of the berries: black, raven. Another name is crowberry, since its berries are watery and sour. The branches look like Christmas trees because of the frequent elongated leaves. The leaves and berries are used as a remedy for headaches and scurvy.
Lloydia late
Perennial plant up to 15 cm high, moisture-loving. Another name is alpine lloydia. Blossoms in June, tolerates frost well down to -30 o C. Decorates the tundra with its flowers.
Onion skoroda
Bulbous perennial grass, grows in the tundra on swampy and moist poor soils. The onion feather is used as a seasoning for food, including meat dishes. Contains vitamin C, carotene, essential oil, organic acids.
princess
This tundra plant has other names. For example, raspberry, meadow, mamura, drupe, khokhlushka, noon. In all these cases, we are talking about the princess. It is a herbaceous perennial shrub with many-boney fruits. Delicious and fragrant berries are consumed fresh, as well as in confectionery. They contain glucose, fructose, citric and malic acids, vitamin C. Therefore, berries are used for the prevention and treatment of scurvy and beriberi.
Cotton grass
A perennial grass that grows in the tundra in swamps and along the edge of water bodies. Participates in the formation of peat. Blooms in early spring. Decoctions are used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, pain in rheumatism, and also as an anticonvulsant and sedative.
dwarf birch
It is also called yernik. The dwarf birch bears little resemblance to its relative, the common birch. This is no longer a tree, but a shrub with several branches. The plant is found in the tundra in the form of overgrown islands. The leaves are similar to the leaves of an ordinary birch, but smaller. By winter, the branches fall to the ground. Birch reproduces vegetatively, taking root in the territory freed from moss. As a rule, these are places plucked by birds or broken by deer hooves. She also has earrings, but, ripening by August, they remain on the branches to "set off" in the spring.
wedge-leaved willow
Willow wedge-leaved - not the only one in the harsh terrain. There are also such willows: arctic, creeping, Nakamura willow. All of them are small shrubs (60-100 cm) with creeping branches.
Red Book of the Tundra
Like all places on the planet, there is also the Red Book of the tundra. The plants brought into it are represented by arctic sunflower, Lapland poppy, purple core, Senyavinskaya wormwood, Beringian primrose. What unites them? That they are rare, but not endangered. Brought to the north by some unusual event (for example, during natural disasters), they took root here, hardened.
So, at the sunflower of the Arctic, the center of distribution is the Mediterranean Sea, Crimea. It is assumed that he came to the north during the interglacial warming. Grows on the peninsula Turii Cape, on the seashore 4 km long.
Lapland poppy - found on the Kola Peninsula and in Norway, endemic. What plant in the tundra can be compared in beauty with the Lapland poppy? Therefore, its numbers are rapidly declining due to people plucking the flower into bouquets.
Purple core - lives on the islands of St. Lawrence and Nunivak in the Bering Strait, as well as in Alaska. It can reduce its numbers due to human disturbance of natural habitat conditions.
Senyavinskaya wormwood - a representative of Chukotka, endemic, is considered an ancient migrant from the American side.
The Beringian primrose is another Chukchi representative that may be reduced in numbers due to human presence.
Why does human intervention negatively affect representatives of the Red Book? Among other things, the absence of roads implies the use of all-terrain vehicles, whose tracks permanently violate habitats and are visible even after several years.
Tundra soil
A story about tundra plants would be incomplete without a story about soil. It is represented by widespread gley soils consisting of clay, loam and sand. Peat marshy soils are often found on the plains. The humus layer is small, only a few centimeters, because due to the short summer, the processes of decomposition of organic matter are slow. Often, mosses and lichens grow on rocky rocks and their weathering products. Humus on such soils is practically absent. The soil of the tundra is very poor and oversaturated with moisture; it is characterized by an indefinite soil horizon due to swelling and outpouring of soils.
As a result of climatic and soil characteristics, tundra plants have developed high viability. Some of them have acquired the ability to live birth, receiving bulbs or small nodules instead of flowers, ready for further germination. There are predatory plants that prey on insects. All tricks are used to complete the entire life cycle in full and in a short time, and then crouch as close to the ground as possible, cover yourself with a snow blanket and fall asleep until next summer.
Since there is little warm and sunny time, the flowering time for most plants falls on the same period. At this time, the tundra is incredibly transformed, it becomes like a bright canvas with green, brown, yellow and red spots. At this time, the tundra no longer seems cold and unfriendly. And it is not clear how you can not love her for such beauty!
The tundra zone is in its own way a unique part of the territory of Russia. Its existence is due to climatic changes observed when moving from anywhere in the world to the north or south. Landscapes, the composition of flora and fauna take on a different look: closer to the north there are fewer trees and more lichens, and arctic foxes, reindeer and other animals that are not found in other regions live there.
In contact with
The concept of a natural geographical zone
Natural (otherwise, physiographic) zone called such an area in the geographic shell of the Earth, which is characterized by a complex of climatic, geological and geochemical conditions inherent only to it. In addition, the features and composition of the soil, relief, what types of plants and animals are characteristic of a particular area are taken into account. But nevertheless, it is the climatic conditions that are of the greatest importance in identifying and describing the location of the natural zone.
Zonal changes in climate and landscape can practically be observed through every degree along the meridian or through 120-140 kilometers. If you move from the equator to one of the poles of the Earth, you can arrange the physiographic belts in this way:
Each natural zone corresponds to a certain climatic zone. For example, mixed forests are located in the temperate zone, and permanently wet forests are in the equatorial zone.
The presence of this natural area characteristic of the northern hemisphere, on the map it stretches across two continents, North America and Eurasia, occupying a significant part of the area of Russia. The location of the tundra is determined by its proximity to the arctic deserts and taiga.
The richness of the natural resources of the tundra entails a serious interest in the features already from school. The topics “Flora” or “Birds of the Tundra” are common for reports in the 4th grade, various tables are compiled, schoolchildren prepare reports about the local population or even write interesting stories based on the information received from the lessons according to a certain plan.
The tundra is located in the subarctic (or subantarctic) belt between temperate and arctic. This determines the rather harsh living conditions in this area. There is a very long winter, the duration of which reaches seven months, and in a short summer period, snow falls very often and frosts occur. The upper temperature limit is 10 degrees above zero. Due to low temperatures, a small amount of water evaporates from the surface of the earth, so the soils in the tundra are very wet. For the same reason, relatively heavy rains are practically not observed.
Another important characteristic in describing the climate of the tundra is a very strong wind. It prevents the formation of deep snow cover, and the ground is often left open. Therefore, the entire living world of the tundra is forced to survive in permafrost conditions: closer to the north, the earth freezes 500 meters. The short summer period does not contribute to the thawing of the soil: on average, about 40 centimeters of land are released from the ice shell. Absorption of moisture in such conditions is difficult, so a significant part of the territory becomes swampy.
The animals and plants of the tundra are very peculiar, since the local nature is determined by harsh climatic conditions, the polar night, which lasts all winter, and the short summer day.
Vegetable world
The main feature of the tundra vegetation is that trees cannot grow here: frozen soils do not allow the development of the root system, and a strong wind simply blows away tall plants. Therefore, undersized species are especially common here: various shrubs and shrubs, grasses, mosses and lichens. Closer to the south, where the tundra turns into forest-tundra, some trees may grow, but this is not observed in the rest of the natural zone. This fact influenced the name of this area: translated from Finnish tunturia means "land without forest".
Mosses and lichens
Perhaps the most important in the tundra ecosystem are numerous species of mosses and lichens: cuckoo flax, reindeer moss or reindeer moss, pleurocium and many others. They are an important part of the diet of herbivores and survive in such harsh conditions due to the following factors:
The largest of the lichens of the tundra: reindeer moss. Its height ranges from 9 to 15 cm. This is a real tree in miniature. In the largest specimens, one can notice a striking resemblance to the branches and leaves of a real tree.
Shrubs and herbs
In addition to mosses and lichens, there is a variety of shrubs and shrubs. These are dwarf willows and birches, wild rosemary, blueberries, crowberry. Perennial grasses are widespread: alpine meadow grass, fescue, arctic bluegrass, sedge, rosea rhodiola and cloudberry. Shrubs do not exceed one meter in height. Their branches are not directed upwards, but on the contrary, they spread along the ground. The small size of the leaves reduces the amount of evaporated moisture, and the back side of the leaf is pubescent.
In the summer, the leaves of the trees and grass are bright green, and closer to autumn, crimson hues appear more and more in their color. Many species are blooming, so yellow, white and reddish flowers on a bright green background make these places especially beautiful in summer, allowing you to fully enjoy what the tundra looks like.
Animal world of the tundra
tundra fauna differ in considerable diversity, despite the harsh conditions for survival in this natural area. You cannot find only lizards and other reptiles here: the absence of a long warm season does not allow cold-blooded species to live here.
land mammals
Animals in the harsh subarctic climate are forced to adapt to the conditions: they have a thick and dense coat, and birds acquire lush feathers. Among herbivores, the most famous reindeer. Their wide and powerful hooves facilitate long walks on snow (the length of reindeer migration routes is up to 500 km), and special depressions allow them to rake snow and find reindeer moss or other plants that they feed on.
Powerful antlers allow the deer to successfully defend itself from predators. But in especially harsh and hungry years, they weaken and often become victims of tundra wolves. They live in large packs with a pronounced hunting specialization: there are beaters and attackers. This is a very hardy animal, able to go without food for a week. But if you manage to catch someone, then the feast begins: the wolves sometimes eat the victim with the skin and bones.
Another dangerous predator of the tundra is a wolverine. Outwardly, she resembles a bear and seems very clumsy. But it's not. The body of the wolverine is very flexible, strong legs allow it to develop high speed. At the same time, the wolverine is notable for its endurance: if the victim cannot be caught, then the predator starves it out, chasing it until it collapses from fatigue.
A frequent victim of the wolverine, and sometimes the wolf, are lemmings: small and prolific rodents. They do not hibernate and are constantly looking for food. Deer antlers, bark, bush buds can be food. As lemmings multiply rapidly, habitual habitats are overpopulated, and animals are forced to migrate. Following them, predators also migrate: owls, arctic foxes and others.
The Arctic fox is known for its fur: it is fluffy and long (up to 30 cm). Usually they hunt lemmings and move after them, but sometimes they do not disdain carrion. Arctic fox burrows dug in the hills are used by several generations of predators: making new moves in permafrost is a difficult task. They live in small flocks, helping each other, including caring for cubs whose parents have died.
bird species
Along with mammals, the tundra is inhabited by a significant number of bird species. This is determined by two interrelated factors:
- an abundance of wetlands, rivers and lakes;
- the presence in these areas of a significant number of insects, especially in summer.
Many birds adjust to seasonality and do not migrate, such as the ptarmigan. In winter, its color allows it to disguise itself in the snow from large predators, and in summer the feathers become motley. At the same time, the partridge relatively rarely rises into the air and lives in holes that it digs in the snow.
Near the swamps lives white crane or Siberian crane. This is an endemic species and is on the verge of extinction, therefore it is listed in the Red Book. The Siberian Crane is a fairly large bird, its body size reaches half a meter in height. Habitat conditions determined the body structure of the white crane: it has the longest beak in comparison with the rest of the genus, and long legs allow it to move on a viscous surface. The Siberian Crane is omnivorous: it can eat both the eggs of other birds and fish, as well as various berries and certain parts of plants.
A serious danger to small mammals and other birds is the white, or polar, owl. She has excellent eyesight, therefore, from an insignificant height (most often she examines the area from high bumps or stones) she detects a possible victim. After a successful hunt, it does not eat the whole prey, leaving everything that has not been eaten by various scavengers. At the same time, an owl can go without food for a long time, but this significantly affects the appearance of offspring.
The abundance of rivers and direct access to the seas and the ocean are the reason why many water birds live in the tundra. Among them, a special place is tundra swan- Another rare animal that is under threat of extinction. Tundra swans feed on algae, plants growing near water, and also fish. The short duration of the summer period forces the animals to raise young animals in a short time: on average, this happens in 40 days.
Another representative of waterfowl - loon. On land, it is a clumsy bird, easy prey for predators, but it is almost impossible to catch it on the water: thanks to its streamlined body shape and sharp beak, the loon is an excellent diver. This skill allows you not only to get fish for food, but also to avoid many dangers.
waterfowl mammals
Many mammals also live in the water. A thick layer of subcutaneous fat saves them from low temperatures. Some also have thick hair, such as the sea lion. Such protection allows him to dive to a depth of up to 400 meters. During the warm season, sea lions often come ashore to bask in the sun. In this case, they move on four limbs.
Seals have become a kind of symbol of the tundra.. They live in coastal areas, which is due to their mode of life. They forage in water and breed on land. The nose and ears of the seal are built in such a way that they close tightly when immersed. An interesting fact is that this animal is able to hold its breath for up to one hour, and this allows you to escape from land-based predators.
Another characteristic of the tundra regions animal - walrus. Its mass ranges from one ton to one and a half, and body dimensions reach up to five meters. Walruses are known for their large and powerful tusks. Their direct purpose may seem surprising: walruses dig the bottom with tusks in search of mollusks, which make up the bulk of their diet. But if his life is in danger, walruses use tusks as a formidable weapon. In addition, it is a matter of status: the longer the tusk, the more authority the walrus enjoys in its group.
