Cold Tundra Biome

Dear Diary,

Today, I investigated the freezing cold tundra biome. The ones I’m investigating are the Arctic and Alpine. The Arctic extremely cold environment with barren landscape. The Arctic’s climate is cold and unforgiving. The average summer temperature is 3-12C, and the average winter temperature is -34 C. Its covering consists of a permanently frozen layer of subsoil, known are permafrost. The soil there is very saturated. As for precipitation, it usually gets 15-25 cm of rain. The Alpine Tundra regions are found on mountain at the high altitudes where trees are not able to grow. At night, it usually always gets below freezing. During summer, its temperatures rage between -12 to 10 C. The soil there is well drained. Precipitation there

is as follows: 30 cm per year.
In both places, very little plants and animals live there because of the harsh environment. All organisms that live in the Tundra’s have special adaptations to help them survive. In the Arctic, the Reindeer moss does not any roots. It is able to absorb moisture and nutrient from the air. The Sedge has seeds that are easily blown, making it easier to reproduce. Liverworts are able to resist very heavy wing and soil disturbances. In the Alpine, Tussock grasses have insanely long root, enabling them to get more nutrients and holding them steady. The heath plants are able to store water in case of a drought. The small-leafed shrubs, are as the name suggests, small, and able to undergo photosynthesis quickly because of the leaves. In the Arctic, raven migrate to warmer places during the winter. Squirrels hibernate during winter. Polar bears have a layer of blubber to stay warm. In the alpine, Mountain goats have white fur, making it blend in with its surroundings. Marmots can dig for food. The white-tailed ptarmigan is able to grow feathers on it legs and feet. Keystone species in the Arctic include the arctic fox. The Arctic fox is consumed by polar bears, wolves, kittiwakes, and snowy owls. If the arctic fox was taken out of this ecosystem, they would die. Keystone species in the Alpine include alpaca, yak, chinchilla.
Many things intrigued me on my trip. One was that there are only 48 species of animal in the tundra biome. The word tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, which translates into treeless land. The tundra biome is the driest biome on planet Earth. Humans are ruining this biome by making oil rigs to harvest the black gold. By doing this, it disturbs the sensitive environment.
Dear Diary,
Today, I investigated the wet rainforests.

The rainforest is one of the most diverse places on our planet, containing over half or the world’s animal and plant species. Furthermore, it produces 40% of the world’s oxygen. We humans are cutting down trees, killing all the animals and plant living there, and reducing the size of rainforest.

As the name implies, the rainforest, is indeed very rainy, receiving an average of 100 inches of rain per year. The temperature stays mostly consistent all year round, ranging from 20-34 C. In my stay, it was very hot and humid. The terrain is flat without mountains, but sometimes there will be hills. The ground is covered with dead leaves and decomposers.

The animals and plants living in the rainforest are some of the beautiful, to the most lethal animals on earth. The Sumatra rhino is nocturnal, an adaptation for less competition. This species of rhino is endangered, and only 150 are alive today. Toucans had developed big, strong beaks in order to crack open the hard nuts of the rainforest. The Amazon Horned Frog has a near perfect camouflage. It looks exactly like a leaf to hide from its predators. The peacock plant has broad leaves help capture the limited light at the bottom on the rainforest. The devil’s Ivy has a drip tip to get rid of extra water. The Tualang tree has adapted a smooth bark to prevent animals from climbing it. The keystone species of the rainforest is the hummingbird. Without it, many plants would not survive, as the

hummingbird is an essential pollinator.
Dear Diary,
Today, I investigated the grasslands.

I’m studying particular type of grassland known as the savanna. Savannas have a warm or hot climate. The rainfall there is concentrated within 6-8 months of the year, followed by dry season. Savannas usually receive 20-50 inches of rain throughout the year. If the rain was better distributed, it would become a tropical forest. The soil of the savanna is porous, with rapid drainage of water. It has a very thin layer of humus, which is organic soil made with decomposed animals and plants. It terrain is a flat grassland with scattered trees and occasional hills.

The elephant of one of the most keystone species because it keeps vegetation at bay. When plant growth is high, the elephants will eat them. Elephants are able to make a woodland into an open grassland in a short period of time. Animals have adaptations to survive in the desert. The giraffe has extremely keen eyesight. Combined with its long neck, it can see predators from far away and hide from them. The zebra has distinctive black and white stripes to confuse incoming predators. Ostriches are very well adapted to speed. Powerful legs, flexible knees and supple, two-toed feet all contribute to its 44mph speed. It is the fastest animal on two legs. Plants have their own set of adaptations too! I got a rash from touching poison ivy. Poison ivy can cause a painful sting and can be very itchy. This is to protect itself from grazers are people. The Acacia tree has fire resistance

not burn down during the savannas frequent fires. Baobab tree is one of the weirdest looking trees in the savanna. Its adaptations are very neat too. They are small, to limit transpiration. It can also store water in its trunk. Surprisingly, they can live for over one thousand years.
Human are causing harm to animals in the savanna by poaching animals. Greedy humans hunt animals for their tusk and other parts. The tusks of the elephant and rhino were extremely valuable. Thankfully, these actions are now illegal. The lion population has gone down by 30% since 1990. Some interesting facts I’ve stumbled over that over half of Africa is classified as a savanna. The savanna has the highest biodiversity of herbivore animals of any biome.
Dear diary,
Today, I visited the temperate grasslands. Temperate grasslands are characterized by having grass as their main vegetation. Rainfall is less there than savannas, ranging from 25-75 centimeters. Temperatures vary more from summer to winter. There are hot summers and cool winters. Tempratures vary from -40 to 38 C. The soil of the temperate grasslands is deep and dark, with fertile upper layers. It is extremely nutrient-rich from the growth and decay of roots. The rotted roots hold the soil together and provide a food source for living plants. The terrain is rolling hills and flat plains.
The adaptations of animals and plants living in the temperate grasslands are intriguing. The coneflower has developed petals that are are symmetrically arranged around the center cone, making the process of photosynthesis more efficient. Buffalo grass can fight fungi and is very resistant to turf insects. The blue gamma grass has a very dense root system to hold soil in place. As for animals, the grasshoppers have hind legs that can spring great distances to stay away from predators. Prairie dogs have vocalizations. When they sense a threat, they will notify the others to warn them. Gazelles have fast movement to escape its predators. They also have a light brown color to camouflage into the dead grass. A keystone species of the grassland is the prairie dog. Their colonies create habitats that benefit 150 other species. They are also a food source of many predators such as coyotes, eagles, and badgers.
Poaching is a problem to the animal of the temperate grassland. Similar to the savanna, humans are hunting animals into extinction. Also, because the soil is so fertile, humans are making them into farms. Some fun facts I’ve learned in my travels is that 25% of the world consists of grasslands. There are temperate grasslands in every country but Antarctica. Surprisingly, fires are beneficial to grasslands because they control plant population.
Dear Diary,
Today, I investigated the taiga, or boreal forest. This biome is the largest of them all. Seasons are divided into short, moist, and warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters. There, temperatures range from -65 to 86 F. Precipitation usually come in the form of snow. They receive 40-100 cm yearly. The soil is thin, nutrient deprived, and acidic.
The Flora and Fauna in the taiga have various adaptations. For instance, the Siberian Tiger has large paws that act like a snowshoe. The grizzly bear will eat lots of food to gain fat and hibernate. The porcupine has quills that it uses to keep predators from attacking it. If the predator attacks it, it will get quills stuck in its body. As for plants, the needles of the pine are extremely smooth to help keep water inside. The spruce tree’s cone like shape allows them to shed ice and sleet better. The oak tree has roots that grow down into the soil in search for water. A keystone species of the taiga is the Scots pine. It provides a home for moss, squirrels and bugs.

Dear Diary,
Today, I investigated the temperate deciduous forest. Temperate forests have 4 seasons. Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The temperature varies from -30 to 30 C. The amount of precipitation received is 75-150 cm, distributed evenly throughout the year. Soil is fertile, enriched with decaying material.
Animals there have to adapt to the changing seasons in the temperate deciduous forest. The Least weasel has variations in fur color is dictated by the changing seasons. White tailed deer have Deer have very strong muscles in their legs allowing them to reach speeds up to 30 mph. This is very useful for escaping predators.