Nicholas Douridas

Biome: Tundra The tundra is the coldest and driest biome in the world. It covers one fifth of the Earth’s surface. The tundra is located near the North Pole. The temperature in the tundra can drop to - 60‘F. It usually gets less than ten inches precipitation, most of it is snow. Short growing seasons occur in the tundra. A meter deep in the surface is a layer of permanent frozen soil called permafrost.  The tundra is the coldest and driest biome in the world. It covers one fifth of the Earth’s surface. The tundra is located near the North Pole. The temperature in the tundra can drop to - 60‘F. It usually gets less than ten inches precipitation, most of it is snow. Short growing seasons occur in the tundra. A meter deep in the surface is a layer of permanent frozen soil called permafrost.

Arctic fox  The arctic fox is about inches long and about 6-12 pounds. It has short legs, ears, and muzzle to conserve heat. It eats birds, small mammals, and fish. It also has a long furry tail. The arctic fox can live up to 15 years. It has fur that blends in with each season. When it is sleeping, the arctic fox wraps itself with it’s tail to protect it from the cold, freezing weather. The arctic fox uses stealthy moves due to scarce cover on the tundra.

Arctic willow and caribou moss  Arctic moss grows between cm. It’s leaves grow between 15 and 50 mm. The leaves are two different shades of green, dark green at the bottom and light green at the top. It forms a pesticide in it’s strongest growth season to keep insects away. The leaves have long fuzzy hairs to adapt to the cold weather. Caribou moss grows on rocks and on ground. It has hollow stems and grows to be 1-4 inches high. It can live for a long time without water. They dry out when it has little water and light. They grow again even after drying out. It can make it’s own food when temperatures get low.

Tropical Rainforest  Tropical rainforests are located near the equator. They are rich in plants. It receives between inches of rain per year. Tropical rainforests are moist and warm. The average temperature is between 70 and 85 degrees. The average humidity is between 77% and 88%.

King cobra  The king cobra can grow between 12 and 15 feet long. The adults weigh pounds. They are either black, brown, or olive, a type of green. When threatened, it forms a hood and raises up to 1/3 of it’s length. An adaptation of the cobra is that it has a venom that when the cobra spits it into it’s prey’s eyes, it starts to sting and if gotten into the blood stream, it could rapidly kill it.

Mangroves  Mangroves live on the edge of the tropical rainforest. They grow between land and sea, where other plants can’t. The mangroves prevent erosion by slowing down the flow of the rivers that rush through it. They have a special adaptation that helps them live in salt water. The roots breathe near the trunk, allowing them to live in the unstable salty waters. The seeds are light enough to float, making it easier to move to other areas.

References  est.htm est.htm   htm htm  kids.com/sleuth/Science/Earth_Science/ Biomes/ kids.com/sleuth/Science/Earth_Science/ Biomes/