tundra

Everyday

The tundra is a huge cold, flat, treeless land in the far north (the Arctic) or high on mountains, where the ground below stays frozen all year. tree →

In the lessons

In geography and science lessons the tundra is one of the world's biomes. The deep ground is permafrost; only mosses, lichens, grasses and small shrubs grow. Animals include caribou (reindeer), Arctic foxes, lemmings, musk oxen and snowy owls. It covers parts of Canada, Alaska, Russia and Scandinavia. Climate change is melting the permafrost.

Examples

• Trees cannot grow on the tundra. tree →
• Caribou travel across the tundra in huge herds. tree →
• In summer the tundra is covered with flowers and mosquitoes. tree →
• Lemmings live on the Arctic tundra. tree →
• The ground under the tundra is permafrost. tree →
• We made a model of the tundra biome in class. tree →

Note

Usually with the: the tundra. Do not confuse with taiga, the cold forest just south of the tundra. The word comes from the Sami language of northern Europe.