About Arctic Tundra:

• The Arctic Tundra is a vast, treeless biome characterized by its cold, dry, and rocky terrain.
• The term “tundra” originates from the Finnish word tunturi, meaning a ‘treeless plain.’

Characteristics of the Arctic Tundra:

• Permafrost: It refers to permanently frozen soil, starting within a meter of the surface. During summer, only the upper layer thaws, while deeper layers remain frozen.
  • The frozen layer restricts plant root growth and prevents tree growth, resulting in a treeless landscape.
• Soil composition: The tundra's soil is rocky and nutrient-poor due to low decomposition rates.
  • Organic material accumulates in the form of peat (decayed sphagnum moss) and humus (organic matter), making it a significant carbon sink.
• Geographic location: The Arctic tundra is the northernmost biome, covering areas north of the Arctic Circle up to the polar ice cap, parts of Canada, Iceland, and Greenland.
  • It spans approximately 5 million km².
• Climate: Temperatures range from 5°C in summer to -60°C in winter, with mean temperatures below 0°C for 6–10 months.
  • Annual precipitation is low, ranging between 150–250 mm, but evaporation is minimal.
  • Features 24-hour sunlight in summer and 24-hour darkness in winter.
• Natural vegetation: Vegetation is predominantly herbaceous due to the cold climate and short growing season.Includes grasses, mosses (e.g., reindeer moss), lichens, and liverworts.
  • Woody plants like dwarf willows remain short and spread to withstand high winds.
• Animal life: Large mammals such as polar bears, caribou, musk ox, and Arctic foxes inhabit the tundra.
  • Smaller animals like lemmings and Arctic hares adapt with fur that changes color seasonally.
  • Migratory birds, such as loons and snow geese, breed in the tundra during summer.
• Arctic Tundra as a Carbon Sink: Despite the absence of trees, the Arctic Tundra is a significant carbon sink.
  • This is due to the accumulation of organic matter in: Peat (Decayed sphagnum moss) and Humus (Decomposed organic material).
  • The cold conditions slow decomposition, trapping carbon in the permafrost for millennia.

Reasons for Emissions:

• Thawing permafrost: Rising temperatures activate microbes, breaking down organic matter and releasing CO₂ and CH₄ (methane).
  • Increased wildfires release additional GHGs and accelerate permafrost thawing.
• Temperature trends: The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average. 2024 marked the second-warmest year since records began in 1900.
• Global carbon trends:
  • CO2 emissions in 2024 are projected to be 6 billion tonnes, up from 40.6 billion tonnes in 2023.
  • Land-use changes add 2 billion tonnes of emissions annually.