Tundra

by Moore, Peter D.; Garratt, Richard

• ISBN13: 9780816053254
• ISBN10: 0816053251
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-04-28
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

The geography and geology of tundra habitats have many physical and climatic constraints. Yet while biodiversity is low, ecosystems still exist in this environment. Much of the megafauna that we are familiar with--such as wooly mammoths and giant elk--inhabited tundra environments, and much of what we know of early human activity took place in this harsh ecosystem. Tundra presents a thorough overview of the tundra habitat--past, present, and future. Unique qualities of life, such as slow-growing dwarf trees and animals exhibiting large bodies and small ears, are described and discussed in the context of adaptation and survival strategy. The history and prehistory of tundra are also explored. Past and present exploitation of tundra ecosystems is diverse. There is abundant mineral, gas, and oil wealth in these areas, and ecotourism and winter sports are abundant. As use of tundra ecosystems expands, problems connected with climate change, waste disposal, and other threats to the ecosystem must be addressed. Tundra examines these issues and more, in an easy-to-use format perfect for any science library or classroom.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xiii
Introduction	xv
Geography of the Tundra	1	(30)
Where is the tundra biome found?	1	(3)
What factors determine tundra distribution?	4	(3)
The Earth's climate patterns	7	(7)
Climate in the polar tundra	14	(4)
Albedo	15	(3)
Climate in the alpine tundra	18	(4)
Lapse rate	19	(3)
Diversity of tundra landscapes	22	(1)
Arctic tundra vegetation	23	(3)
Alpine tundra vegetation	26	(3)
Conclusions	29	(2)
Geology of the Tundra	31	(38)
Polar geology	31	(2)
Mountain geology	33	(2)
Plate tectonics	34	(1)
Ice accumulation	35	(1)
Ice sheets, ice caps, and glaciers	36	(4)
Effects of glaciation	40	(3)
After the ice	43	(3)
Patterns on the ground	46	(9)
Soil formation in the tundra	55	(2)
Soil types of the tundra	57	(5)
Soil change in time	62	(2)
The tundra atmosphere	64	(3)
Conclusions	67	(2)
The Tundra Ecosystem	69	(15)
What is an ecosystem?	69	(3)
Tundra food webs and energy flow	72	(4)
Nutrient cycling in the tundra	76	(5)
Stability of the tundra ecosystem	81	(1)
Conclusions	82	(2)
Biodiversity of the Tundra	84	(46)
Living in the freezer	84	(2)
Tundra plants	86	(8)
Evergreen or deciduous?	88	(3)
Solar-tracking flowers	91	(3)
Microbes of the tundra	94	(4)
Lichens	97	(1)
Tundra invertebrates	98	(4)
Energy and tundra insects	102	(1)
Tundra birds	102	(9)
Putting on weight in the tundra	106	(5)
Polar tundra mammals	111	(10)
A tundra heavyweight, the musk ox	117	(4)
Alpine tundra mammals	121	(5)
Adaptations in tundra mammals	126	(2)
Conclusions	128	(2)
History of the Tundra	130	(31)
Ice ages	130	(3)
Glacial history	133	(9)
Cycles of climate change	138	(4)
Causes of glaciation	142	(3)
The Milankovitch theory	144	(1)
Biological history of tundra	145	(3)
People in the tundra	148	(5)
The woolly mammoth	150	(3)
Tundra exploration	153	(6)
Conclusions	159	(2)
Uses of the Tundra	161	(14)
Hunting and trapping	161	(2)
Mineral reserves	163	(5)
Ecotourism and recreation	168	(4)
What is ecotourism?	169	(3)
Tundra as a carbon sink	172	(1)
Conclusions	173	(2)
The Future of the Tundra	175	(14)
Consequences of climate change	175	(3)
Ozone holes	178	(2)
Pollution	180	(2)
The Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol	180	(2)
Tundra conservation	182	(4)
Bringing back the wolf	185	(1)
Conclusions	186	(3)
Glossary	189	(14)
Further reading	203	(2)
Web sites	205	(4)
Index	209

Excerpts

The geography and geology of tundra habitats have many physical and climatic constraints. Yet while biodiversity is low, ecosystems still exist in this environment. Much of the megafauna that we are familiar with—such as wooly mammoths and giant elk—inhabited tundra environments, and much of what we know of early human activity took place in this harsh ecosystem. Tundra presents a thorough overview of the tundra habitat—past, present, and future. Unique qualities of life, such as slow-growing dwarf trees and animals exhibiting large bodies and small ears, are described and discussed in the context of adaptation and survival strategy. The history and prehistory of tundra are also explored.
Past and present exploitation of tundra ecosystems is diverse. There is abundant mineral, gas, and oil wealth in these areas, and ecotourism and winter sports are abundant. As use of tundra ecosystems expands, problems connected with climate change, waste disposal, and other threats to the ecosystem must be addressed. Tundra examines these issues and more, in an easy-to-use format perfect for any science library or classroom.