Tundra lands are home to Hardy flora and fauna and are one of the Earth’s coldest, harshest

biomes.
Tundra ecosystems are treeless regions found in the Arctic where the climate is cold and windy and
rainfall is scant. Tundra lands are snow-covered for much of the year, until summer brings a burst
of wildflowers. The Arctic tundra supports a variety of animal species, including Arctic foxes, polar
bears, gray wolves, caribou, snow geese and musk-oxen.

The few plants and animals that live in the harsh conditions of the tundra are essentially clinging to
life. They are highly vulnerable to environmental stresses like reduced snow cover and warmer
temperatures brought on by global warming.

The Arctic tundra is changing dramatically due to global warming. Animals that are typical found
further south, like the red fox, are moving onto the tundra. The red fox is now competing with the
Arctic fox for food and territory, and the long-term impact on the sensitive Arctic fox is unknown.

Climate change is affecting tundra ecosystems in many ways. Thawing permafrost not only releases
carbon dioxide but also leads to coastal erosion are increasing the problem in Alaska where villages
are at risk. Warming also means that seasons are arriving earlier, a shift not only in temperatures
but also in the emergence and flowering of plants. Biologists suspect that a mismatch between plant
availability and calving is increasing mortality rates of caribou calves. Finally, species distributions
may change as birds and other animals shift their range or migration patterns in response to
changing temperatures.