The Living Word

Question 1

What is a polar environment

Answer 1

Polar environments are more extreme then tundra and they are found in the north and south of the world

Question 2

What is a tundra environment

Answer 2

Tundra environments are found in the lower latitude (northern Canada, Siberia and sualbard)

Question 3

What is the climate like the polar

Answer 3

Winter temperatures often fall below -50 c

These areas have low precipitation totals

Question 4

What is the climate like in the tundra

Answer 4

Climate is less extreme. Winter temperatures may drop to -20 c

The brief summers can be quite warm

Mainly snow can be high in coastal regions

Question 5

What is the soil like in the polar

Answer 5

Permanently covered by ice so soils are permanently frozen

Question 6

What is the soil like in the tundra

Answer 6

Soils are permafrost but in summer will melt it close to the surface

Generally infertile as water drains through the removing there nutrients

Soil becomes waterlogged as water gets caught in it due to permafrost

Question 7

What is the vegetation like in the polar

Answer 7

Plants such as mosses and lichens are found in the fringes of the ice

Question 8

What is the vegetation like in the tundra

Answer 8

Low growing flowering plants (bearberry, arctic moss and tufted saxifrage) low bushes and small trees may grow in warmer regions

Question 9

What is the wildlife like in the polar

Answer 9

Polar bears are well adapted to the polar environment. To retain heat they have thick fur, an insulating layer of fat, with a black nose and foot pads to absorb sunshine

I’m the Antarctic, penguins lay their eggs on land and bring up those young before returning to the ocean

Question 10

What is the wildlife like on the tundra

Answer 10

With more food options and less extreme, several animals live here including the Artic fox and arctic hare

Birds such as the ptarmigans and insects such as midges