CRUCIAL FACTORS:
- Permafrost:
- Without permafrost, it would be hard for all the animals and plants to survive, as it provides nutrients.
- Below freezing temperatures:
- Without the cold temperatures, the ice and permafrost will melt.
LIMITING FACTORS:
Low annual precipitation:
- Yearly precipitation, including melting snow, is 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches)
Extreme cold winds:
- Extreme cold and harsh winds in the Arctic tundra forced plants to adapt to carry out photosynthesis at colder temperatures due to permafrost, to survive with shallow root system
Simple vegetation structure:
- Extreme weather and permafrost limit flora to only vegetate cover lichens, mosses, and grasses.
- No deep root systems.
Low biotic diversity :
- There are limited species diversity as the arctic tundra has harsh weather and permafrost. This climate limits to a few species of hibernating mammals (musk ox, wolf/fox, and bear) that live year-round in the tundra while other animals like reindeer, geese, and snowy owls migrate during the warmer months.
Soil Composition:
- The tundra has a very thin layer of soil/dirt. Beneath the soil is the tundra’s permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of earth. During the short summers the top layer of soil may thaw just long enough to let plants grow and reproduce. Since water can’t sink into the ground, water from melting permafrost and snow form lakes and marshes each summer.
Limitation of drainage:
- Water cannot not seep properly into the ground because of the permafrost, and often it pools on the surface forming swampy areas. This limits the amount of plants that grow in the arctic tundra.
Short season of growth and reproduction:
- In summer the arctic tundra includes sunshine, which is essential for plants to survive, but with many days of darkness and short season of growth, it is harder for plants to survive