Definition

1. Noun:
   • A vast, flat, treeless Arctic region where the subsoil is permanently frozen: A type of biome characterized by low temperatures, short growing seasons, and a layer of permanently frozen ground called permafrost. Vegetation is limited to mosses, lichens, grasses, and small shrubs.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The caribou migrate across the frozen tundra in search of food.
  • Scientists are studying the effects of climate change on the Arctic tundra.
  • The landscape of the tundra appears barren but supports unique life forms.

Advanced Usage

• "Alpine tundra": A similar ecosystem found at high elevations on mountains, above the tree line, but not necessarily underlain by permafrost.
  • The hike took us from a forested valley up into the rocky alpine tundra.

Variants and Related Words

• Permafrost (n): A thick subsurface layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year, occurring chiefly in polar regions. It is a defining feature of the tundra.
  • The melting of permafrost is a major concern for tundra ecosystems.

Synonyms

• Plain: A large area of flat land with few trees. (Note: "Plain" is a broader term; "tundra" is a specific type of cold plain.)
• Barrens: An area of unproductive land. (Note: This emphasizes the lack of trees but not the cold or permafrost.)

Related Phrases

• Tundra ecosystem: The community of living organisms and their physical environment in the tundra.
  • The fragile tundra ecosystem is highly sensitive to disturbance.
• Tundra biome: The major ecological community, extending across large geographic areas, defined by its tundra climate and vegetation.
  • The tundra biome circles the North Pole.

Noun

1. a vast treeless plain in the Arctic regions where the subsoil is permanently frozen