What is an Ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a community of interacting organisms and their physical enviornment.




What is an ecosystem?

Our Ecosystem (10)

Polar Tundra
Tundra's only have one season where it is warm enough to melt snow, usually, a tundra's climate is extremly cold.  Soil is frozen solid and due to this, plant life is very minimal within this ecosystem.  Few species live inside these barrin places, such as foxes, bears, wolves, owls, and different types of birds.

Would you be able to live in this cold of an environment for the rest of your life?

Real World Examples (9)

Two examples of a polar tundra would be Antarctica, & northern Russia

 Antarctica is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent.  It does not provide a lot of vegetation due to its intense climate.  Yet, animals find ways to provide for themselves.

Northern Russia's climate is greatly affected by its latitude & by its winter.  Russia has little contact with any oceans, making the amout of precipitation very minimal. 

What season is Norhtern Russia greatly affected by?

What can be found in a polar tundra?

Snow is all over our ecosystem, except for one season when it gets hot enough to melt snow.

Minimum plant life is found in the tundra because of the harsh weather conditions.

Certain Species.

Examples:

Numerous polar bears are found wherever you turn in the tundra.

Foxes are a big part in the polar tundra and they stay warm all the time because of their fur.

Caribou are able to live in this type of weather because they have a mate to cuddle with.

Snowy Owls with their owlets are always flying around the tundra.

What's your favorite animal found in the Polar Tundra?

Second Producer in the Polar Tundra

Sedge Grass Sedge grass is a low growning, grass-like plant.  Sedge grass grows well in wet places.  They are found most often in cold regions, but can also be found worldwide.  Sedges are distingished by their solid triangular shaped flower stems.

Where are sedge grasses most commonly found?

Producers in the Polar Tundra

Producers

Salix arctica is a plant, about 15-20 cm in height, and comes in many different shapes.  Most times it is found with trailing branches that root where they touch the surface.  Its leaves are oval shapped with pointed tips and are usually green to dark green.  Little stalks on the plant bloom in the spring.
What color are the salix arctica's leaves?

Mid-Level Consumer

Mid-Level Consumer of the Polar Tundra

Many birds do not live in the polar tundra year round, yet the snowy owls remains there all year long.  Only one reason would make the birds leave for the winter, and thats if their food sorce is scarce.  Their name comes from their pure white coat.  Being nocturnal and amazing vison, they can hunt from high up, and see extremly well at night.  But since the Artic does not get dark in the summer, the owls are forced to hunt in the daylight.


An arctic fox lives farther north than any other fox.  They are adapted very to the harsh weather of the Arctic, and hunt very well, but if the cannot kill enough to eat, they can eat leftovers for other animals.


Do owls hunt during the day?

Top-Level Predator

Top-Level Comsumer

Polar bears are considered at the top of the food chain.  Polar bears are the largest land carnivores, and also the largest bear in the world.  Yet, the polar bear population is on the decline in many regions.  Polar bears spend most of the year in areas where sea ice meets water to conveniently feed on their main food sorce- seals.
Polar bears can range in size.  From males being between 770-1,500 lbs. while females are about half that size at about 330-550 lbs.  Yet, when pregnant females can reach up to 1,100 lbs.

What is a polar bears main food sorce?

Map of the Polar Tundra

Map Source

Arctic tundra is found across northern Alaska, Canada, and Siberia which is shown above. Because of the tundra being so high up, it has long cold winters and short cool summers. The Arctic tundra has low precipitation, gets less than 10 inches of rain per year, and has dry winds.These conditions make the Arctic tundra a desert-like climate.


How many continents is the Artic tundra on?