Why are tundra ecosystems fragile

If we lose one species, how does that impact the whole system? What if we lose hundreds? Help your students understand the gravity of extinction with these classroom resources. Barren tundra lands are home to hardy flora and fauna and are one of Earth's coldest, harshest biomes.

Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students.

Skip to content. Image Wood Tikchick State Park Wildflowers As cold, dry tundras are threatened by warming from climate change, so are many of the plants and animals adapted to live there. Photograph by Michael Melford. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Article Vocabulary. Tuesday, June 9, Tundras are among the world's coldest, harshest biomes, with extreme temperatures and low rainfall.

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Related Resources. View Collection. Tundras Explained. View Article. Educational Resources in Your Inbox. Educational Resources in Your Inbox Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Low biodiversity in Tundra is the reason for presence of only a number of species in the food chains. Less diversity in food options makes the system prone to severe unintended complications due to elimination or reduction of any species from the system.

For example, Lichens in Tundra of Alaska accumulated radioactive materials strontium 90, etc. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content. The thin active zone of the tundra can support the growth of only mosses, lichens, and small grasses. As this limits its biodiversity, any small change can disturb the tundra ecosystem greatly.

Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Useful tips What is tundra and why is it so fragile? Useful tips. Esther Fleming June 22, Table of Contents. Next Article Why was Africa important in ww1?