Particularly protected components of the nature of the tundra. Plants and animals of tundra

Tundra is a unique natural territory, snugly located north of the taiga zone and south of the arctic desert. It is a huge area with a vast expanse of permafrost, because of which the snow-covered soil rarely thaws completely. As a consequence, all inhabitants of this zone, including plants, are forced to survive in uneasy climatic conditions. For the same reason, many of them are included in the specially protected components of the nature of the tundra. Let us tell in more detail what kind of objects these are.

Climate and weather conditions in the tundra: winter

Since we have made a reservation that the tundra is characterized by a very severe climate, we will briefly describe it in two words. So, the winter period on this cold and treeless plain has a protracted character. Winter lasts about 6-8, and even 9 months. And throughout this time of the tundra abodes there are waiting for frost, cold wind and even snow storms.

As in any polar zone, there are polar nights in the tundra, which appear in the middle or end of January and last 1-2 months. When the long-awaited polar day comes, the inhabitants of this area, included in the specially protected components of the nature of the tundra, the streams of a strong north wind and snowstorm are falling. The average temperature in the winter reaches -30 degrees Celsius.

Autumn, Spring and Summer

Autumn in the tundra begins in September, spring - in May, and summer - in July. The shortest time of the year in this subarctic climate zone is summer. Here it flies quickly and almost imperceptibly. The average temperature of one of the hottest July months (less often August) in the tundra is 5-10 degrees Celsius.

During the short-term summer period, the land in this permafrost zone does not have time to warm up to the end. So, in the period when the sun radiates heat relatively strongly, the earth manages to warm up only 50 cm deep. Everything that remains below this layer, as practice shows, lies under a layer of dense and frozen soil. For the same reason, the water that has fallen to the ground with precipitation can not penetrate to a depth of more than half a meter. As a consequence, numerous lakes and marshes arise in this severe climate zone. In what features of the nature of the tundra, we will discuss further.

Flora in the permafrost zone

As you understand, the representatives of the flora in the frozen soil survive oh how difficult. But, despite this, in the tundra you can find amazing plants and shrubs. For example, it is interesting to look like a jaguar or a deer lichen. Here also grow such delicious berries as blueberries, cloudberries and lingonberries. Also for the tundra is characterized by a large number of mosses and lichens, which are the favorite food of deer.

Separate attention deserves the trees of the tundra, among which there are also martyrs-adapters, such as willow and birch. In this case, both types of trees are small in size and refer to dwarf species. For the most part, plants in the zone of fleeting summer have low growth and crooked crown, which allows them to painlessly endure winter and enjoy the gusts of cool wind in spring and summer.

The world around us: the tundra and its feathered inhabitants

In the tundra you can find a white partridge, which in the summer wears a brown and motley outfit, and in winter dresses in warm white "fur coat and boots" (this is how the plumage and vegetation cover the bird's legs completely). The whole year the white owl does not change its white plumage. Thanks to a large number of feathers on the body and limbs, this bird can sit for a long time in one place even in severe frost and with a strong wind.

Animals living in the tundra

Among the animals of the tundra there are fluffy lemmings with short paws, tail and small ears. It is noteworthy that these animals do not fall into hibernation and perfectly feel themselves on the snow and under it. Also here you can see beautiful and fast Arctic Foxes, deer with large and heavy horns, foxes, wolves, hares, rodents, snow rams and others. Many of these inhabitants are threatened with extinction and therefore placed in the reserves of the tundra.

Other inhabitants of the tundra

Due to the large number of swamps and lakes, as well as excessive precipitation (within a year here drops to 200-300 mm), blood-sucking winged insects develop actively in the tundra. In the same reservoirs, such large fish as omul, nelma, vendace and chir are swimming.

Ecological problems of the tundra

The protection of the nature of the tundra is an important task for ecologists all over the world. Such a conclusion can be made by analyzing the information on the construction and other facilities operating in this severe territory, which carry out transportation and extraction of oil.

Due to negligent attitude to work and non-observance of safety precautions, a frequent leakage of fuel occurs. As a result, there is pollution of the environment, the death of plants and animals.

In addition, on the territory of the tundra are moving production trucks, after which there is garbage, which ultimately destroys the vegetative cover of the soil. Due to the destroyed vegetation deer and other animals and birds die.

What are the reserves in the tundra?

Thanks to the well-coordinated work of ecologists and other specialists, numerous tundra reserves have been created and are being created. So, in this zone of permafrost there are several large reserves at once, which allow restoring the natural balance of the territory and preserving endangered species of tundra inhabitants.

For example, here are the following conservation sites:

• Lapland State Reserve.
• Taimyrsky reserve.
• The State Reserve "Wrangel Island".
• Altai Reserve.

What are these specially protected components of the nature of the tundra, we will describe below.

General information about the Lapland State Reserve

The Lapland State Reserve is one of the largest natural sites in Europe. It has huge tracts of virgin nature, where animals and birds move freely. It is located in a small village of the Murmansk region and has a total area of 278 435 hectares of land. There are more than 198 bird species, about 31 species of animals and 370 species of plants.

General information about the Taimyr reserve

The Taymyr Reserve, established in February 1979, is also included in the specially protected components of the nature of the tundra. It is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory near the Taimyr Peninsula. Here there are up to 222 species of moss and about 265 lichen plants, 116 bird species, 15 species of fish and about 21 species of animals.

General information about the State Reserve "Wrangel Island"

"Wrangel Island" is a large and beautiful nature reserve with a total area of 2,225,650 hectares, including the water area and the protection zone. There are many mountains and hills, occupying about 2/3 of the whole territory. Under the protection of the reserve there are about 641 species of plants, 169 species of birds and some species of animals. So, here fine feel arctic foxes and wolverines, bears, ermines, wolves, reindeers and musk oxen.

General information about the Altai Reserve

Another nature conservation object is the Altai Reserve, which is located in the highlands of Southern Siberia. It stretches for 2 000 000 ha, where all 1500 varieties of plants grow beautifully, many of which are listed in the Red Book. Here live about 70 species of animals, among them 29 belong to endangered species.