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Arctic ecology is the scientific study of the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in the arctic, the region north of the Arctic Circle (66° 33’N). [1] This region is characterized by two biomes: taiga (or boreal forest) and tundra. [2]
Alpine tundra in the North Cascades of Washington, United States. Alpine tundra does not contain trees because the climate and soils at high altitude block tree growth. [26]: 51 The cold climate of the alpine tundra is caused by the low air temperatures, and is similar to polar climate. Alpine tundra is generally better drained than arctic ...
These complex interactions between plants, animals and abiotic factors in the tundra are held together by the permafrost layer, located 450 metres (1,480 ft) under the soil. [3] However climate change is causing this crucial layer of frozen soil to melt. As a result, tundra communities are becoming unstable and basic processes are breaking down.
On the west coast, the relatively warmer climate supports a dwarf-scrub heath and steppe-like vegetation. The warmest and driest areas, at the head of fjords, there are sheltered areas that support scrub and low forests of green alder ( Alnus alnobetula ), white birch ( Betula pubescens ), and Greenland mountain ash ( Sorbus groenlandica ). [ 2 ]
An environmental gradient, or climate gradient, is a change in abiotic (non-living) factors through space (or time). Environmental gradients can be related to factors such as altitude, depth, temperature, soil humidity and precipitation.
The amount of vegetation in the tundra consists on how much sun, or snow cover is in the area. The vegetation in this area may grow as tall as 50 cm (20 in). In the southern part of the Arctic, there tend to be more shrubs whereas the northern parts there is less plant cover. In wet areas of the tundra, there is tussock grasses and cotton grasses.
The extent of the shifts will be dependent on the severity of the climate change scenario followed. [ 8 ] Many areas of the globe are expected to see substantial changes in their Holdridge life zone type as the result of climate change , with more severe change resulting in more remarkable shifts in a geologically rapid time span, leaving less ...
The tundra climate is a polar climate sub-type located in high latitudes and high mountains. It is classified as ET according to the Köppen climate classification. It is a climate which at least one month has an average temperature high enough to melt snow (0 °C [32 °F]), but no month with an average temperature in excess of 10 °C (50 °F ...