The tundra is a natural area that lies north of the zone forests. On the territory of Russia, it stretches from the Kola Peninsula to Chukotka.

Climate

The tundra is divided into three types:

  • South - closest to the forest zone.
  • Middle - north of south.
  • Arctic - the coldest, Northern part this natural belt. It borders on the zone of eternal snows.

winter in this climate zone lasts 8-9 months. Summer is short - 3-4 months. The frozen ground hardly thaws in summer, which is why the tundra surface is called "permafrost". Even in the middle of summer, frost and snow can fall here.

The summer temperature never exceeds +10˚ C. The earth thaws by only a few centimeters. In the southern part, in summer it can be up to + 11˚ C. The earth thaws deeper there and therefore many swamps and lakes form.

In winter, the snow cover does not exceed 15-30 cm. very strong winds. Therefore, the snow does not lie, but is constantly moving. From any hills it is blown away completely.

There is little precipitation, but there is still more than the amount of water evaporated from the earth. That's why the soil is saturated with moisture.

The soil

In the tundra there is sandy, clay, peaty, stony soil. In the west of Russia, these are clay-sandy plains with many rivers, swamps and lakes. in the east there are mountain ranges and rocks.

Tundra soils are completely barren. In high places, where the snow is blown away by the wind, the soil has no vegetation at all. Only frozen clay or sand comes to the surface. Such areas are called "clay medallions".

Vegetable world

When the wind drives snow across the plain with force, it cuts off the protruding tops of grasses and shrubs, as if cutting them. That's why plants cannot grow tall. Only in the lowlands of the southern tundra there are trees and shrubs as tall as a man.

They mostly grow here. herbs, mosses and lichens. The further north - the less grass and more mosses. In the middle zone there are creeping willows and. In the Arctic - creeping shrubs.

Mosses and grasses grow on clay soils, and on stony and sandy soils. Mosses, berries and creeping trees predominate on peat soils. All plants in the tundra not enough heat. Therefore, the roots of plants do not grow deep, but along the surface.

Animal world

Aviation and all-terrain vehicles are used for communication in the tundra. ATVs severely damage fragile vegetation, which then recovers for decades. The best transport northern inhabitants These are reindeer teams.

Although the tundra is poorer than other natural areas, it able to feed polar animals and migratory birds. Therefore, it is necessary to protect its nature.

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Between the Arctic deserts and the taiga is a dull area devoid of large vegetation, which Nikolai Karamzin proposed to call the Siberian word "tundra". Attempts have been made to derive the name from the Finnish or Sami languages, in which words with a similar root mean "a mountain without a forest", but there are no mountains in the tundra. And the word "tundra" has long existed in Siberian dialects.

The tundra occupies large areas, but for a long time explored it very sluggishly - there was nothing to investigate. Only with the discovery of minerals in the Far North did they pay attention to the tundra. And not in vain - it is in the tundra zone that largest deposits oil and gas. To date, the geography, flora and fauna of the tundra have been studied quite well.

1. Although in general the tundra can be described as a northern steppe, its landscape is far from homogeneous. In the tundra, there are also quite high hills, and even rocks, but low-lying spaces are much more common. The tundra is also heterogeneous in terms of vegetation. close to the coast and Arctic deserts plants do not cover the ground all over, there are large bald patches of bare earth and stones. To the south, moss and grass form a continuous cover, there are shrubs. In the zone adjacent to the taiga, trees also come across, however, due to the climate and lack of water, they look like sick specimens of their more southern counterparts.

2. The tundra landscape is diluted with water spaces, which can be very extensive. Through the tundra into the Arctic Ocean flow major rivers: Ob, Lena, Yenisei and a number of smaller rivers. They carry huge volumes of water. During the period of floods, these rivers overflow so that one cannot see the other from one bank. When high water subsides, numerous lakes are formed. There is nowhere for water to go from them - low temperatures prevent evaporation, and frozen or clay soil does not allow water to seep into the depths. Therefore, there is a lot of water in the tundra in the most different forms, from rivers to swamps.

3. The average summer temperature does not exceed +10°C, and the corresponding winter figure is -30°C. There is very little rainfall. An indicator of 200 mm per year is quite comparable to the amount of precipitation in the southern part of the Sahara, but with low evaporation, this is enough to increase waterlogging.

4. Winter in the tundra lasts 9 months. At the same time, frosts in the tundra are not as strong as in the regions of Siberia located much to the south. Typically, the thermometer does not fall below -40°C, while in continental regions temperatures below -50°C are not uncommon. But summer in the tundra is much cooler due to the proximity of huge arrays of cold ocean waters.

5. Vegetation in the tundra is subject to strong seasonality. At the beginning of a short summer, it comes to life in just a week, covering the ground with fresh greenery. But just as quickly it fades away with the advent of cold weather and the onset of the polar night.

6. Due to the lack of natural obstacles, winds in the tundra can be very strong and sudden. They are especially terrible in winter, combined with snowfall. Such a bundle is called a storm. It may take several days. Despite the snowfalls, there is not much snow in the tundra - it is very quickly blown away into the lowlands, ravines and to the protruding elements of the landscape.

7. Willow is very common in the tundra, however appearance it is far from the willows growing in the European part of Russia. Willow in the tundra vaguely resembles beautiful tree, whose branches hang down to the ground, only in the south near the rivers. To the north, the willow is a continuous and almost insurmountable strip of bushes fused together, clinging to the ground. The same can be said about the dwarf birch - the dwarf sister of one of the symbols of Russia in the tundra looks like either a short freak or a shrub.

dwarf willow

8. The poverty of vegetation leads to the fact that in an unusual person in the tundra, even at an altitude below sea level, the effect of middle mountains is observed - difficulty breathing. It is connected with the fact that there is relatively little oxygen in the air above the tundra. The small leaves of small plants give the air very little of the gas necessary for human breathing.

9. A very unpleasant feature of the summer in the tundra is midges. Myriads of small insects poison the life of not only people, but also animals. Wild deer, for example, migrate not only because of the climate, but also because of the gnats. Insect invasion lasts for two weeks at the beginning of summer, but it can become real natural disaster- even numerous herds of deer scatter from the midge.

10. Edible berries grow in the tundra and have time to ripen in two months. The best is the princess, or arctic raspberry. To taste, its fruits really resemble raspberries. The inhabitants of the north eat it raw, and also dry it, boil decoctions and make tinctures. The leaves are brewed into a drink that replaces tea. Also in the tundra, closer to the south, blueberries are found. Cloudberries are common, ripening even at the 78th parallel. Several types of inedible berries also grow. All types of berry plants are characterized by a long, but creeping root. If the roots of desert plants go almost vertically deep into the earth, then the roots of tundra plants twist horizontally in a thin layer of fertile soil.

princess

11. In view of the practical total absence fishermen, the rivers and lakes of the tundra are very rich in fish. Moreover, there is an abundance of fish of those species that are considered elite or even exotic to the south: omul, whitefish, seal, trout, salmon.

12. Fishing in the tundra is very diverse. Local residents, who fish for purely utilitarian purposes, catch the inhabitants of the river kingdom with nets in the summer. Nets are set up in winter. Absolutely the entire catch is used - small and weedy fish are fed to dogs.

13. Siberians who go fishing in the tundra prefer spinning or fly fishing. For them, fishing is also a commercial activity. But exotic lovers from the European part come fishing to the tundra, mainly for the sake of sensations - taking into account the cost of the trip, the caught fish turns out to be really golden. Nevertheless, there are many such lovers - there are even tours that include not only traveling through the tundra on all-terrain vehicles, but also fishing on the southern (but very cold) coast. Kara Sea or the Laptev Sea.

14. They hunt deer, sables, hares and birds in the tundra: wild geese, swans, partridges, etc. As in the case of fishing, hunting in the tundra is more like entertainment or emphasizing one's status. Although deer are hunted professionally. Meat and skins are sold in northern cities, deer horns bought up by businessmen coming from South-East Asia. There horns are not only popular remedy, but also feed for farms that grow cultured pearls.

15. Tundra, especially the steppe, is a favorite habitat for arctic foxes. These beautiful animals feel great in cold climates, and omnivorousness allows them to soak even in the meager flora and fauna of the tundra.

16. A lot of lemmings live in the tundra. Small animals are the main food for many predators. They, of course, do not throw themselves from the rocks into the water in millions of individuals. It’s just that, having become excessively prolific, they begin to behave inappropriately, rushing even to large predators, and their population size is decreasing. There is nothing good in this next year hard times will come for those animals for which lemmings are food. Wise owls, noticing the decrease in the number of lemmings, do not lay eggs.

17. Polar bears, seals, and walruses live on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, but it would hardly be appropriate to consider them inhabitants of the tundra, since these animals get their food in the sea, and if there is taiga or forest-steppe instead of the tundra on the coast, nothing is fundamentally for them would not change.

Someone didn't feel good

18. Since the mid-1970s, a unique experiment has been underway in the tundra to restore the musk ox population. The experiment began from scratch - no one saw a live musk ox in Russia, only skeletons were found. I had to turn to the Americans for assistance - they had both experience in resettling musk oxen and "extra" individuals. Musk oxen took root very well, first on Wrangel Island, then on Taimyr. Now several thousand of these animals live on Taimyr, on about. Wrangel about a thousand. The problem is a large number of rivers - musk oxen would have settled further, but they cannot cross them, so they have to be imported into each new region. Small herds already live in the Magadan region, in Yakutia and Yamal.

19. Those who are a little familiar with the behavior of swans know that the character of these birds is far from angelic. And the swans living in the tundra refute the axiom that only humans kill for fun, and animals kill only for food. In the tundra, swans pounce on creatures they don't like without any intention of eating them. The objects of attack are not only birds, but also arctic foxes, wolverines and other representatives of the poor animal world. Even predatory hawks are afraid of swans.

20. Modern Nenets, who make up the bulk of the tundra population, have not lived in camps for a long time. Families live permanently in small towns, and the camps are one remote tent, in which men live, looking after the herd of deer. Helicopter collects children to the boarding school. He also brings them on vacation.

21. The Nenets practically do not eat vegetables and fruits - they are too expensive in the North. At the same time, reindeer herders never suffer from scurvy, which has claimed many lives in much more southern latitudes. The secret is in sheep's blood. The Nenets drink it raw, getting the necessary vitamins and minerals.

In Alaska, sleds would be dragged

22. In addition to dogs, the Nenets have no other pets - only specially bred dogs can survive the harsh cold. Even such dogs suffer from the cold and then they are allowed to spend the night in the tent - it is very difficult to manage a herd of deer without dogs.

23. In order to ensure basic survival, a Nenets family needs at least 300 reindeer, and there are centuries-old proportions of the herd distribution into spawners, females, riding deer, castrates, calves, etc. The income from renting one deer is about 8,000 rubles . To buy a regular snowmobile, you need to sell about 30 deer.

24. The Nenets people are very friendly, so the case that occurred in December 2015, when in the Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region as a result of a shootout with the Nenets, two senior employees of the Gazprom company, who had come to hunt, were killed. There was not a single person for tens of kilometers around the scene of the incident ...

25. The tundra "trembles". Due to the general rise in temperature, the permafrost layer is thinning, and the methane below it begins to break through to the surface, leaving huge holes of great depth. While such funnels are counted in units, however, in the event of large amounts of methane emissions, the climate can change much more than the greenhouse effect alarmists predicted at the peak of the theory's popularity.

The climatic conditions of the tundra are extremely severe, with long, frosty, sunless winters and cold, gale-force winds. Frozen soil does not have time to thaw in a short summer. A thin layer of depleted, cold soil, located above the permafrost, is poorly suited for rich vegetation.

Therefore, you will not find here tall trees. Here live plants that have adapted to a cool, dry climate, lack of sunlight. And only in the south climatic conditions soften. There you can already meet separately standing trees, which are, nevertheless, quite far from each other.

But still, the main landscape of the tundra is made up of mosses and lichens. A wide variety of species form a huge continuous carpet, stretching for many kilometers. You can also often find shrubs, shrubs, perennial herbs that form the basis of flowering plants. All of them provide food for animals, provide nesting for birds, thus maintaining a permanent habitat.

Today we will talk about the representatives of the flora of this area, find out what information is available, interesting facts about tundra plants.

Interesting features flora of the tundra

Most months of the year, this area has a dull look. Rare, low-growing plants are either hidden under the snow, or bent down to the ground itself by strong cold winds. But when spring comes, everything changes. On a short time the dull area turns into a motley colorful carpet.

On the hillocks, saxifrages bloom, the flowers of the arthropod and ice siver are pleasing to the eye. The swamps are full of sedge and cotton grass. Following the first polar flowers, the Kamchatka rhododendron blossoms magnificently. Its buds have been swelling since last year, and with the onset of spring they rush to bloom as soon as possible, gain strength until the next flowering.

Interesting Facts O flowering plants tundra: many of them do not have time to bloom in a short summer. As soon as the flowers appear, they are covered with the first snow. This prevents the seeds from ripening. Therefore, they ripen only next spring.

Here are some more characteristic, very interesting representatives of the flora of this area:

arctic moss

This plant is most commonly found in the tundra zone. It grows on the surface of the soil, but prefers water bodies. The plant is interesting in that it does not have a root system, but is attached to the soil with the help of rhizoids - long, thin threads.

This species is rich in nutrients, moreover, it grows all year round. Therefore, it serves as one of the main sources of food for many animals, birds during their migration.

Arctic moss presents special interest for scientists, since on his example one can trace the natural evolution of life in a harsh climate.

Bearberry

It is also called a bearberry, although in fact it is not bears that love to eat it, but birds. Red dense berries, small green leaves attract feathered inhabitants of the tundra. Bearberry bushes are undersized, located almost at the very surface of the soil. And the berries themselves can be on them all year, hiding in the winter under the snow.

Cloudberry

Cloudberry is a perennial herbaceous plant. Interestingly, she is a close relative of raspberries, they belong to the same genus. However, unlike raspberries, cloudberries are not a shrub at all, and the berries of both are similar only in appearance, but their color is different.

With the onset of spring, a low, straight stem grows from a thin rhizome hidden in the soil. It has few leaves and only one flower. By the end of summer, a red berry appears on the stem. An interesting fact is that the red cloudberry berry indicates its immaturity. A ripe berry is always yellow-orange, like wax.

It is them that the locals collect, prepare jam, dry or use in a steamed or soaked form.

wild rosemary

low, nice flowering shrub with small, slightly curved leaves. The stem and leaves of wild rosemary are covered with peculiar hairs, which helps it to keep warm in the harsh climate of the tundra. It is unusual that the bush is not eaten by animals, since parts of the plant smell rather sharply, and besides, they are poisonous.

diamond sheet

This plant belongs to the willow family. However, it has significant differences from its relatives. The diamond leaf resembles a low-growing willow that grows close to the ground. Like wild rosemary, its trunk, stems, roots are covered with hairs that retain heat. But unlike him, the diamond leaf is not poisonous, it is eaten by people and animals. The plant is rich in vitamins and calcium, which makes it a reliable defense against scurvy.

If we consider interesting facts about the tundra zone of our planet, one cannot but mention the vast deposits of oil and uranium. Their research, mining violates the already not very stable balance of the ecosystem of the area.

In addition, it is here that about a third of the carbon layer of the planet is contained in the depth of the soil. In summer, when permafrost melts, carbon, a greenhouse gas, is released into the atmosphere, enhancing the formation of the greenhouse effect.

These phenomena gradually change the conditions for the habitual existence of tundra plants. Therefore, scientists conduct research, analyze the emerging violations of its ecosystem, in order to reduce the upcoming threat.

The vegetation of the tundra and forest-tundra, its forms, methods of plant reproduction, and adaptability to survival largely depend on the features that characterize these zones.

Geographical position

The location of the tundra zone falls on the subarctic belt of the Earth. On the mainland of Eurasia, it stretches along the entire coast of the seas of the Arctic Ocean for tens of thousands of kilometers. The northern coast of the mainland of North America is also occupied by tundra.

The length of the zone from north to south is on average about 500 kilometers. In addition, the tundra occupies some islands near Antarctica. In the mountains, where expressed altitudinal zonality, mountain tundras are formed. Considering all the territories where the zone is located, its total area on the planet.

It is about 3 million km2.

Forest-tundra is a zone where tundra vegetation and taiga vegetation are located in small areas. The forest-tundra stretches from west to east south of the tundra on the continents of Eurasia and North America. The length of the strip from north to south ranges from 30 to 400 kilometers. On its southern borders, the forest-tundra passes into the forest zone.

Climatic conditions affecting plant growth

The climate of the tundra and forest-tundra zone is very severe. Winter lasts 6 to 8 months a year. During all this time, a constant snow cover is kept, the air temperature sometimes drops to 50 degrees below zero. The polar night lasts about two months. Strong cold winds and snow storms almost never subside.

Summer in the tundra is short and cool. Frosts and snowfall are possible. Despite the polar day, the surface of the earth does not receive much heat, since the sun does not rise high above the horizon and sends scattered rays to the Earth. To survive in such conditions, the vegetation of the tundra must adapt.

Influence of permafrost on the species composition of vegetation

IN warm time year in the tundra zone, the soil thaws only to a depth of no more than 50 centimeters. Next comes the layer of permafrost. This factor is one of the decisive factors in the distribution of plants in the tundra zone. The same factor affects their species diversity.

Permafrost has a significant impact on the terrain. Freezing and thawing of rocks leads to their deformation. As a result of the heaving process, surface forms such as bumps appear. Their height is no more than two meters above sea level, but the appearance of such forms also affects the vegetation of the tundra, its settlement along certain territory.

Influence of soil on the species diversity of vegetation

In the zone of tundra and forest-tundra, there is a high waterlogging of soils. It is especially noticeable during the snowmelt period. Water cannot penetrate deeper due to the presence of permafrost. Its evaporation is also not very intense due to the low air temperature. For these reasons, melt water and precipitation accumulate on the surface, forming large and small swamps.

High swampiness, the presence of permafrost, the predominance of low temperatures hinder the flow of chemical and biological processes in the soil. It contains little humus, ferrous oxide accumulates.

Tundra-gley soils are suitable for growing only certain types plants. But the vegetation of the tundra adapts to such living conditions.

A person who has visited these parts during the flowering period of plants has indelible impressions on long years- the flowering tundra is so beautiful and attractive!

In the forest-tundra, the natural fertile soil layer is also thin. The soil is poor in nutrients, it is characterized by hyperacidity. When cultivating land, a large amount of mineral and organic fertilizers is introduced into the soil. In the cultivated areas of the forest-tundra, there are more diverse types of herbaceous vegetation, trees and shrubs.

Types

The vegetation of the tundra and forest-tundra largely depends on the type of natural zones. Their landscapes only at first glance seem monotonous.

The hummocky and hilly tundra occupy the largest territories. Among the swamps, plant turf forms mounds and tussocks, on which many plant species take root. A special type of tundra is polygonal. Here you can observe landforms in the form of large polygons, which are broken by depressions and frost cracks.

There are other ways to classify such natural area like tundra. What kind of vegetation prevails in a certain area, this will be the type of tundra. For example, the moss-lichen tundra is made up of areas covered with various types of mosses and lichens. There are also shrub tundras, where thickets of polar willow, elfin cedar, and bushy alder are common.

Plants

As mentioned earlier, the vegetation of the tundra and forest-tundra had to adapt to the harsh climatic conditions of the subarctic zone of the Earth. Otherwise, her life and development would be impossible here.

The adaptability of tundra and forest-tundra plants is expressed as follows. Most representatives of the fauna are perennials. annual plants at short duration summers would not be able to complete their life cycle. Only a small part of plants reproduces by seeds. The main way to prolong life is vegetative.

The short stature of tundra plants allows them to survive during strong winds. This is also facilitated by the creeping nature of the shoots and their ability to intertwine with each other, forming a semblance of a soft pillow.

In winter, all parts of the plants are covered with snow. This saves them from severe frosts.

Most tundra and forest tundra plants have a wax coating on their leaves, which contributes to moderate evaporation of moisture from their surface.

The vegetation of the tundra, photographs of individual species of which are available in the article, is represented by perennial frost-resistant herbs: sedge, dominant in lowlands and swamps, buttercup, cotton grass, dandelion, poppy. From the trees grow dwarf birch, polar willow, bushy alder.

These tree species in the forest-tundra can already reach a height of three or more meters. Blueberries, cloudberries, bilberries, lingonberries are widespread among shrubs.

Mosses and lichens take root on the uplands, many of which are the main type of food for the animals living in these places.

The vegetation of the tundra and taiga is very different from each other. The forest tundra is a transition zone between them. On the territory of the forest-tundra, among the treeless space, you can find islands of spruce, birch, larch and other tree species.

The forest-tundra zone is unique, since tundra vegetation and taiga vegetation are found on its territory, which becomes more noticeable as you move south.

Forest areas, consisting of individual species of trees and shrubs, create the most favorable conditions for the growth of herbaceous vegetation.

Thanks to trees and shrubs, wind speed decreases, delays large quantity snow that covers the plants, saving them from freezing.

Study of the vegetation of the subarctic belt

The vegetation cover of the tundra and forest-tundra has not yet been fully studied. A systematic scientific description of the species growing here began only in the middle of the last century.

To continue this work, special expeditions are being created today. In the course of them, scientists are also trying to establish how the vegetation of the tundra and forest-tundra is influenced by animals living in these zones.

They want answers to questions about whether plant species diversity is changing in areas protected from the presence of certain animal species, how long it takes for the complete restoration of the destroyed vegetation cover.

So far, scientists have not found answers to all questions regarding the natural balance in the zone of the subarctic belt of the planet.

Fauna protection

The nature of the tundra and forest-tundra is very vulnerable. It takes more than a dozen years, and in some cases centuries, to restore the soil layer, the vegetation cover.

Man has long understood that it is he who has a detrimental effect on the nature of the tundra and forest-tundra. Trying to atone for their guilt, people have created a number of reserves, national parks, reserves.

They are located both on the territory of Russia and other countries of the world.

Source: http://fb.ru/article/161288/rastitelnost-tundryi-i-lesotundryi

Message around the world on the topic: “Plants of the Tundra. Reindeer moss."

Yagel ( reindeer moss) belongs to the genus Cladonia. It is often confused with moss. This plant, belonging to the lichen genus, has more than 40 species.

Lichen reindeer moss, or reindeer moss. This is one of our largest lichens, its height reaches 10-15 cm.

A single reindeer moss plant resembles some kind of bizarre tree in miniature - it has a thicker "trunk" rising from the ground, and thinner winding "branches".

And the trunk and branches towards the ends gradually become thinner and thinner. Their tips almost completely disappear - they are no thicker than a hair.

Reindeer moss has a whitish color. When wet, reindeer moss is soft and elastic. But after drying, it hardens and becomes very brittle, crumbles easily.

The slightest touch is enough to break off pieces of lichen. These tiny fragments are easily carried by the wind and are able to give rise to new plants.

It is with the help of such random fragments that the reindeer moss mainly breeds.

Grows in both cold and warm climate, in a well-drained, open environment. Reindeer moss easily tolerates large temperature fluctuations, survives in the scorching sun, after prolonged droughts it recovers with the slightest influx of moisture. It mainly grows in the alpine tundra, has an extremely high frost resistance. Grows on trees, rocks, stumps.

It grows very slowly: 3-5 mm per year. Restoring pasture after reindeer grazing can take several decades. To avoid depletion of pastures, wild deer constantly migrate.

2. Types of reindeer moss

Cladonia alpine consists of hollow cylindrical outgrowths up to 20 cm high, has a bushy thallus. This type of lichen prefers sandy soils that are open to the sun. Often grows in pine forests, swamps. Lichen exhibits antimicrobial activity. It contains acetic acid. Used in medicine.

deer cladonia it is the largest lichen of the cladonia genus. The reindeer moss of this species lives on sandy soils, in the tundra, pine forests, swamps and peat bogs. This reindeer moss is widespread in temperate and northern latitudes. It is also the main food for reindeer.

Cladonia soft forms greenish-gray pudets. Grows up to 7 centimeters in height. Distributed in temperate and northern latitudes. Grows on peat, sandy soil of pine forests, stumps. It is an excellent food for reindeer.

Cladonia forest different grayish-green or green-yellow color. Grows up to 10 centimeters in height. The taste is bitter-bitter. Grows in temperate and northern latitudes. He likes peat soils, open sunny places in pine forests, sandy soils. A valuable species of lichen, serves as food for bad deer.

Cladonia unsmoothed greenish-gray or light yellow, up to 10 centimeters high. They like to grow on mosses, sandy soil. Distributed in Western Siberia. Very valuable species, is food for reindeer.

Cladonia thin- Differs in upright or decumbent branches. It bushes weakly, has a white-green or bluish-green color. It lives on rotten stumps, sandy soils, peat bogs in middle lane European part. It is also a valuable species.

3. The role of reindeer moss

Yagel is up to 1/3 of the diet of reindeer. The value of reindeer moss lies in its high nutritional value, it is rich in carbohydrates, and is well absorbed by deer.

It is also used as supplementary feed for other animals. It is eaten by deer and musk deer. Dried reindeer moss is added to cows and pigs.

Reindeer moss has a high nutritional value. So 100 kilograms of reindeer moss in animal nutrition replace 300 kilograms of potatoes.

Reindeer moss used as food by the indigenous peoples of the north. It is eaten boiled, added to food in dried form. In these peoples, reindeer moss replaces diapers for newborns, as it has excellent absorbent properties. It is used to decorate window spaces.

4. Medicinal properties of reindeer moss

Medicinal properties reindeer moss became known to people not so long ago. Scientists have found a strong antibiotic in moss, it stops the growth of putrefactive bacteria, prevents their reproduction.

This property of the reindeer was used by many northern peoples to keep the meat in the warm season.

For this purpose, the meat was covered with reindeer moss on all sides, it did not deteriorate for a long time even at room temperature.

The acid found in moss kills the tubercle bacillus. Usic acid, killing the tubercle bacillus, preserves the intestinal microflora. On the basis of reindeer moss, many antibiotics have been developed.

IN traditional medicine reindeer moss used for tuberculosis, peptic ulcer, atherosclerosis, thyroid disease, varicose veins, cough, gastritis, as a blood purifier, normalizing bowel function.

5. Status and protection

Reindeer moss grows very slowly. Its destruction by deer in one pasture forces the shepherds to constantly overtake herds in search of new pastures. It takes from 10 to 15 years to fully restore the eaten pasture. But the large areas of growth of this lichen make it possible to find new pastures, and old ones to recover.

Reindeer pastures need protection.

What is the tundra in the minds of people? Imagination begins to draw a snowy deserted desert, or rather, the steppe, only the northern one. Permafrost or, as they say now, perennial, does not bring the desire to visit these places. But people live here, some lead settled life, part - nomadic. And our story is about tundra plants.

Geographical location and climatic conditions of the tundra

It should be noted that the tundra is not monotonous, it can be of different types:

  1. Arctic.
  2. Typical.
  3. Forest-tundra.
  4. Mountain.

The Arctic tundra is located in North America. It is characterized by strong gale-force winds, air temperature down to -60 ° C. Summer is short, only a few weeks with temperatures up to +5 ° C. Permafrost does not allow melted moisture to go deep into the ground, and the tundra takes the form of a swamp with plants in the form of mosses and lichens .

A typical tundra is located south of the Arctic not only in America, but also in Russia, the climate here is somewhat milder. Winter temperature - up to -50 ° C. The warm period lasts from May to October, average temperature+ 5-10 o C. Temperatures up to +25 o C can last for several days. The earth warms up deeper, but even here there is swampiness, the presence of small streams and lakes is characteristic. Shrubs appear among mosses and lichens.

The forest tundra, respectively, is located south of the typical tundra and is represented by a vast territory on two continents. Characterized by the appearance small trees. The temperature ranges from -40 o C to +15 o C. There are many lakes here.

Climatic conditions depend not only on how many degrees north of the equator this or that territory is located, they also vary depending on the height above sea level. In other words, in mountain systems. The higher in the mountains, the closer the climate is to the Arctic (strong wind, low level precipitation, low temperatures, unless there are so many swamps and lakes).

What plant grows in the tundra?

Plants here are forced to adapt to harsh conditions, and they do it very successfully. The flora of the tundra has a number of distinctive characteristics:

So what plant grows in the tundra? One that meets the above features that ensure its survival in adverse climatic conditions.

plant names

What plants are found in the tundra? The main representatives of the plant world are mosses and lichens. According to official data, about 200 species of lichens have been identified in Yamal. Mosses and lichens are closely intertwined, forming "carpets", as a rule, of the same species. The most common include: green and peat moss, reindeer moss (reindeer moss), cladonia lichen, arctic red bearberry. The tundra plants shown above in the photo look like a colorful carpet.

Such plant species as cloudberry, blueberry, lingonberry, black crowberry, late lloydia, koroda onion, princewort, vaginal cottongrass, swordskin sedge, dwarf birch, wedge-leaved willow and others are also widespread.

Why are plants in the tundra undersized?

The reason is corrosion. The word is similar to "corrosion" not only visually, but also in its essence - the desire to destroy. Strong hurricane winds in winter move blocks of ice, rock fragments, various boulders, and sand. This mass moves across the tundra with different speed, turning and polishing all hard objects in its path. What plants in the tundra can resist it? There is no such! Everything above the dense cover of snow is cut off and carried away.

Another argument in favor of dwarf plant species is the fact that the surface of the earth thaws no deeper than 50 cm, and then permafrost extends for 500 m. To combat wind and frost, you need a strong branched root system, and 50 cm do not allow this.

Yagel or reindeer moss

Yagel is one of the most useful lichens in the tundra (and not only). It is a symbiosis of marsupials, green algae and bacteria. It is a very strong natural antibiotic. Not picky about climate and soil. Does not tolerate pollution, therefore does not grow near big cities. This perennial plant develops slowly and can be up to 500 years old. Reindeer love deer, but people often use it as medicinal plant. If reindeer pastures have been in the same place for several years, then it may take up to 15 years to grow a new reindeer moss.

Cloudberry

Even if you are not familiar with many tundra plants, cloudberries are most likely an exception. It is a perennial herb with a bony fruit that looks like an orange raspberry. It is considered a valuable commercial plant. They can harvest both its leaves and flowers, fruits. Like many tundra plants, cloudberries are a vivid example of the northern flora: they ripen in a short period, and the fruits are just a pantry of vitamins and minerals. It contains cobalt, potassium, iron, chromium, phosphorus, sodium, copper. The content of vitamin A is higher than in the recognized leader - carrots, and more vitamin C than in an orange.

Cowberry

A small shrub plant up to 30 cm high. The berries are tart and bitter, so they are frozen and soaked, then they become sweet. Lingonberries are used as a medicinal plant. Many are familiar with the diuretic properties of the leaves, in addition, lingonberries have anti-inflammatory, tonic, wound healing, antipyretic, antiscorbutic, anthelmintic properties. And that's not all. Therefore, it is harvested from May to October itself.

Blueberry

It is a low shrub. Blueberries are another spectacular northern berry. She close relative blueberries and cranberries. describe her beneficial features can be very long. Most often, blueberries are used for eye, cardiovascular, gastric and intestinal diseases, as well as for diabetes. It may be easier to tell what this plant does not have, and what diseases it does not treat.

By the way, blueberries are very fond of gardeners living in a warmer climate for their taste and medicinal qualities.

Crowberry black

Crowberry, a small creeping shrub, got its name because of the color of the berries: black, raven. Another name is crowberry, since its berries are watery and sour. The branches look like Christmas trees because of the frequent elongated leaves. The leaves and berries are used as a remedy for headaches and scurvy.

Lloydia late

Perennial plant up to 15 cm high, moisture-loving. Another name is alpine lloydia. Blossoms in June, tolerates frost well down to -30 o C. Decorates the tundra with its flowers.

Onion skoroda

Bulbous perennial grass, grows in the tundra on swampy and moist poor soils. The onion feather is used for food as a seasoning, including for meat dishes. Contains vitamin C, carotene, essential oil, organic acids.

princess

This tundra plant has other names. For example, raspberry, meadow, mamura, drupe, khokhlushka, noon. In all these cases we are talking about the princess. It is a herbaceous perennial shrub with many-boney fruits. Delicious and fragrant berries are consumed fresh, as well as in confectionery. They contain glucose, fructose, citric and malic acids, vitamin C. Therefore, berries are used for the prevention and treatment of scurvy and beriberi.

Cotton grass

A perennial grass that grows in the tundra in swamps and along the edge of water bodies. Participates in the formation of peat. blooms in early spring. Decoctions are used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, pain in rheumatism, and also as an anticonvulsant and sedative.

dwarf birch

It is also called yernik. The dwarf birch bears little resemblance to its relative, the common birch. This is no longer a tree, but a shrub with several branches. The plant is found in the tundra in the form of overgrown islands. The leaves are similar to the leaves of an ordinary birch, but smaller. By winter, the branches fall to the ground. Birch reproduces vegetatively, taking root in the territory freed from moss. As a rule, these are places plucked by birds or broken by deer hooves. She also has earrings, but, ripening by August, they remain on the branches to "set off" in the spring.

wedge-leaved willow

Willow wedge-leaved - not the only one in the harsh terrain. There are also such willows: arctic, creeping, Nakamura willow. All of them are small shrubs (60-100 cm) with creeping branches.

Red Book of the Tundra

Like all places on the planet, there is also the Red Book of the tundra. The plants brought into it are represented by arctic sunflower, Lapland poppy, purple core, Senyavinskaya wormwood, Beringian primrose. What unites them? That they are rare, but not endangered. Brought to the north by some unusual event (for example, during natural disasters), they took root here, hardened.

So, at the sunflower of the Arctic, the center of distribution is the Mediterranean Sea, Crimea. It is assumed that he came to the north during the interglacial warming. Grows on the peninsula Turii Cape, on the seashore 4 km long.

Lapland poppy - found on the Kola Peninsula and in Norway, endemic. What plant in the tundra can be compared in beauty with the Lapland poppy? Therefore, its numbers are rapidly declining due to people plucking the flower into bouquets.

Purple core - lives on the islands of St. Lawrence and Nunivak in the Bering Strait, as well as in Alaska. Can reduce its numbers due to human disturbance natural conditions a habitat.

Senyavinskaya wormwood - a representative of Chukotka, endemic, is considered an ancient migrant from the American side.

The Beringian primrose is another Chukchi representative that may be reduced in numbers due to human presence.

Why does human intervention negatively affect representatives of the Red Book? Among other things, the absence of roads implies the use of all-terrain vehicles, whose tracks permanently violate habitats and are visible even after several years.

Tundra soil

A story about tundra plants would be incomplete without a story about soil. It is represented by widespread gley soils consisting of clay, loam and sand. Peat marshy soils are often found on the plains. The humus layer is small, only a few centimeters, because due to the short summer, decomposition processes organic matter are of a delayed nature. Often, mosses and lichens grow on rocky rocks and their weathering products. Humus on such soils is practically absent. The soil of the tundra is very poor and oversaturated with moisture; it is characterized by an indefinite soil horizon due to swelling and outpouring of soils.

As a result of climatic and soil characteristics, tundra plants have developed high viability. Some of them have acquired the ability to live birth, receiving bulbs or small nodules instead of flowers, ready for further germination. There are predatory plants that prey on insects. All tricks are used to complete the entire life cycle in full and in a short time, and then crouch as close to the ground as possible, cover yourself with a snow blanket and fall asleep until next summer.

Since there is little warm and sunny time, the flowering time for most plants falls on the same period. At this time, the tundra is incredibly transformed, it becomes like a bright canvas with green, brown, yellow and red spots. At this time, the tundra no longer seems cold and unfriendly. And it is not clear how you can not love her for such beauty!