tundra community
The tundra is a great frozen plain, far in the north.
Even during these warmer, sunny days, a fierce, terrible wind blows over
the tundra. So only tough, sturdy plants that grow close to the ground
can live in this community. These include mosses, lichens, and small,
flowering plants. Most of the tundra is a treeless plain, but sometimes
there are birch and willow trees no bigger than bushes.
Plants of the tundra community
Life on the tundra
In summer, the tundra is filled with animals. Little lemmings and other
animals eat leaves, roots, and seeds. They, in turn, are hunted and
eaten by animals such as foxes.
Winter comes suddenly. The ground freezes. Snow piles up. Most animals
leave, but some stay. Lemmings burrow into the ground and live on seeds
they stored away. Herds of musk oxen move from place to place, scraping
with their hoofs to find lichens beneath the snow.
