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List of Tundra Ecoregions

Ecoregions are sizable areas of water or land that have similar climates and characteristic groups of natural ecosystems. Tundras are treeless areas located in polar regions. The tundra communities have sparse vegetation of small shrubs, sedges and heaths. They are primarily in Russia, Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland and sub-Antarctic islands. These fragile ecosystems are particularly sensitive to toxins, climate changes and the presence of humans. They have extraordinary seasonal concentrations of several species of mammals and birds. Despite the frigid conditions, many species of plants are also characteristic of the regions. The World Wildlife Fund recognizes five tundra ecoregions.

North Slope of Alaska Coastal Tundra
- This frigid area of Alaskan tundra supports a variety of flora and fauna. Vegetation includes birch, tea and willow shrubs and a variety of mosses. The bird species of the area include the snowy owl, bluethroat, Smith's longspur, rough-legged hawk, peregrine falcon and gyrfalcon. Mammals in the region include bears, caribou, sheep, hares, lemmings and foxes. As in all of the polar ecoregions, the Alaskan tundra is threatened by man's development, toxins and climactic change.
Low Arctic Tundra of Canada
- Many species of waterfowl such as loons and geese, utilize this region of Canada for nesting. Other birds in this area include the snowy owl, rock ptarmigan, hoary redpoll and red-necked phalarope. The area has a continuous ground cover of vegetation. Transitional areas of tundra-forest exhibit spruce, tamarack, willow, dwarf birch and several lichen and heath species. Herbaceous flowering plants bring riotous color to the area in summer. Larger mammal inhabitants of this tundra include bears, foxes, moose and caribou. Smaller mammals such as squirrels, otters, lemmings and weasels also reside there.
Alpine Taiga and Tundra of Scandinavia and Finland
- In the rugged, mountainous tundra regions of Scandinavia and Finland the terrain was ravaged by glaciers and several rivers, yet diverse areas of meadows, wetlands and forests have dense communities of flora and fauna. Representative plants include rhododendron and beech fern. Despite the latitude, rivers of the Kola Peninsula provide valuable spawning grounds for the endemic salmon and dense bird colonies are common along the coast and on nearby islands. The lakes are teeming with Arctic char and resident birds include plovers, scoters, buntings and buzzards. Mammals in residence are foxes, lynx, reindeer, bears and muskox.
Coastal Tundra of Siberia and Taimyr
- This coastal tundra comprises the Taimyr Peninsula in far northern Russia and the extreme northern segments of Siberia. It includes areas of mountains as well as coastal regions. The freshwater areas contain almost 60 species of fish and are the spawning grounds for several of them. About 50 species of birds nest in the area including the endangered Bewick's swan, certain species of geese and the gyrfalcon. The region is also home to a huge migrating herd of reindeer. Other large mammals include polar bears, walruses and wolves.
Coastal Tundra of the Chukote Peninsula
- This tundra ecoregion lies in the northeastern part of Eurasia on the Chukote Peninsula, which borders the Bering and Chukchi seas. It also includes Wrangel Island in the Arctic Ocean. More flora and fauna are on the Chukote Peninsula than on adjacent tundras. Chukotka alone has about 50 species of plants. Sea birds such as auklets, sandpipers and puffins flock there. Many arctic mammals are inhabitants, including the polar bear, walrus, fox and wolf. Wrangel Island is home to 50 species of birds such as black brants and snow geese and is a hunting ground for polar bears. In the summer, gray and bowhead whales swim in the Chukchi Sea.

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