Alaskan North Slope Coastal Tundra - A Global Ecoregion
One of the world's most intact and diverse areas of arctic tundra
Snapshot: Ecoregion 113
Size:
230,000 sq. km (88,000 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Tundra
Geographic Location:
Northwestern North America: Canada and the United States
Conservation Status:
Relatively Stable/Intact
230,000 sq. km (88,000 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Tundra
Geographic Location:
Northwestern North America: Canada and the United States
Conservation Status:
Relatively Stable/Intact
Quiz Time!
Is it true that Arctic foxes in this ecoregion change coats with seasons?
Answer:
Arctic foxes and hares that live in the Alaskan North Slope Coastal Tundra have to be ready to "change clothes" for the seasons. During the winter, they have bright white coats that blend in with the snow and ice. But when summer comes, they turn brown like the tundra.
About the Area
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Arctic foothills tundra; Arctic coastal tundra. Lying between the foothills of the Brooks range and the Artic Ocean, the Alaskan North Slope Coastal Tundra has a harsh, northern latitude, mountainous climate. It lies on top of permanently frozen soil called permafrost.
When the surface of the tundra thaws a bit during the summer, streams and lakes emerge to keep everything moist. The vegetation cover is sparse, and largely restricted to valleys and lower slopes.Nevertheless, this region supports numerous species of rare plants; particularly many dwarf varieties and shrubs. One of North America's largest herd of the Porcupine caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) breeds here.
Local Species
The shrubby tundra vegetation found here consists of Dwarf birch (Betula sp.), Willow (Salix spp.), Northern Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum), and a nearly continuous cover of mosses on wet soils. These include Aulacomnium, and Ditrichum.
Mammal species include Polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos), Dall sheep (Ovis dalli), Caribou (Rangifer tarandus), Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), Red fox (Vulpes fulva), and Brown and collared lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus and Dicrostonyx groenlandicus).
Among the bird species found in this ecoregion are Smith's longspur (Calcarius pictus), Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica), Snowy owl (Nyctea scandiaca), Gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus), Peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus), and Rough-legged hawks (Buteo lagopus).
Threats
Development for oil seriously threatens the ecological integrity of this ecoregion.
Resources
• NationalGeographic.com
