(HOLARCTIC) ARCTIC
Tundra

While the biome of Tundra occurs at high altitude in various areas around the world and on sub Antarctic islands, it reaches it's greatest extent in the northern hemisphere Arctic region. These open habitats occur north of the treeline, and true tundra is technically defined by it's lack of trees. 

(Torngat National Park, Canada)

With few trees except on the edge of the true tundra, the flowers of the Arctic Tundra provide such more needed botanical structure and colour to a barren landscape...

flowers-pink-greenland

One of the more common plants in the Arctic tundra is the bog standard 'Bog Cotton', Eriophorum.

arctic-cotton

Other flowers of the Arctic include....

greenland-poppyPoppy flower, (Greenland)
greenland-fireweedChamerion (Chamaenerion) latifolium, 'Fireweed'.

arctic-mouse-ear'Chickweed'.
arctic-moss-campion'Moss Campion'.

arctic-tripleurospermum-maritimumTripleurospermum maritimum.
arctic-harebell'Harebell'

In contrast to Antarctica, there is a range of easily noticed and ecologically important land-based birds to be found across the Arctic...

greenland-eaglethe hunting predators such as: 'White-tailed Sea-Eagle' (Greenland).
greenland-wheatearInsect eating birds such as the 'Northern Wheatear', (pictured is juvenile, Greenland).
greenland-Common-raventhe opportunistic scavengers such as: 'Common Raven', 'Northern Raven', (Greenland).

There is a small range of mammals to be found in the Arctic landscapes, although they may take some effort to locate. The most iconic is Ursus maritimus, the 'Polar Bear'. This is the biggest species in the bear family. It also the largest land carnivore on the planet. They generally live within the ice, seas and tundra of the Arctic region.

Polar Bear (image by Damon Ramsey)Polar Bear (Torngat National Park, Canada)

Places to explore the Arctic tundra

include Ilulissat in Greenland and Torngat Mountains National Park in Canada.

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