what is a tundra

Tundra is a type of biome characterized by frigid temperatures, short growing seasons, and treeless landscapes. The term "tundra" comes from the Finnish word "tunturi," meaning treeless plain. There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine tundra, and Antarctic tundra. Arctic tundra is located in the far Northern Hemisphere, north of the taiga belt, and is known for its cold, desert-like conditions. Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world, where trees cannot grow in the high altitudes. Tundra vegetation is composed of dwarf shrubs, sedges, grasses, mosses, and lichens, and scattered trees grow in some tundra regions. The ecotone between the tundra and the forest is known as the tree line or timberline. The tundra soil is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, and the soil also contains large amounts of biomass and decomposed biomass that has been stored as methane and carbon dioxide in the permafrost, making the tundra soil a carbon sink. The tundra is home to a variety of animal species, including Arctic foxes, polar bears, gray wolves, caribou, snow geese, and musk oxen.