Facts about the Tundra

1. 06

   Caribou herds in North American tundra migrate between 3,000 and 5,000 kilometers annually, making one of the longest land mammal migrations on Earth.

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2. 05

   Dwarf birches in the tundra grow to maximum heights of only 20 centimeters despite living for over 100 years, adapting to extreme cold and wind by spreading horizontally across the ground.

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3. 04

   Across the Arctic tundra, the growing season lasts only 50-60 days annually, forcing plants to complete their entire life cycle in this compressed timeframe during brief summers.

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4. 03

   Mosquitoes emerge in Arctic tundra during summer in such massive swarms that a single square meter can contain up to 10,000 individuals, creating one of Earth's most intense insect populations.

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5. 02

   Lemmings in the Arctic tundra experience population cycles every 3-4 years, with numbers fluctuating between fewer than 10 and over 200 individuals per hectare.

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6. 01

   Permafrost beneath the Arctic tundra contains twice as much carbon as Earth's entire atmosphere, stored in frozen soil up to 1,600 meters deep.

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