The AP Biology Project of the Century

Tundra Food Web 40°17'6.27"N 105°41'17.49"W

Location: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Animals of the Tundra - 76°25'16.52"N 110°56'42.76"E

Location: Taymyr Peninsula, Siberia, Arcitc Tundra

The animals of the Arctic Tundra have adapted to bear through the harsh long winters.

breed and raise young quickly
ave an extra layer of fat for insulation
hibernation when food is not abundant
reptiles and amphibians are rare because of cold temperatures
constant emigration and immigration

Ermine: white in the winter and creamy brown-white in the summer. They make their dens in the old roots of trees or in the crevice of a rock.
Genus: Mustela
Species: erminea

Snowy Owl: their eyes take up more space in their skull than their brains. Their hearing is so sensitive that they can hear vole and lemmings deep beneath the snow. The owl is a predator and keeps the environment from overpopulating.
Genus: Nyctea
Species: scandiaca

Arctic Fox: makes its home in small burrows in mounds or rock piles. They are scavengers and often follow behind polar bears to feed off the left behind remains.
Genus: Lagopus
Species: alopex

Winter coat

Summer Coat

Caribou: large members of the deer family. Both males and females have antlers, unlike deers. Caribou have large hooves to help them maneuver through the snow. During harsh winters, they have the ability to go into partial hibernation by lowering their metabolism.
Genus: Rangifer
Species: tarandus

Harlequin Duck: has a buoyant, compact body, with strong webbed feet, which give the duck the power to swim through torrent waters. Diet consists of mussels, shellfish, aquatic insects, crustaceans, and small fish.
Genus: Histrionicus
Species: histrionicus

Symbiotic Relationships in the Tundra - 69°12'29.99"N 166°10'1.67"E

Mutualistic relationship: Algae and Fungi

arctic lichen

The fungus part of the lichen is called the mycobiont and the algae is phycobiont. Although lichens are composite organisms, they are catergorized as fungus because that is the dominant part of the lichen (thallus). The algae provides the food through photosynthesis and the lichen provides the structure.

Commensalistic Relationship: Caribou and the Arctic Fox
The arctic fox will follow behind a caribou while it is digging up the ground to find food (lichen). The arctic fox can then hunt for subnivean animals (animals that live in a layer beneath the snow). The subnivean animals come to the surface because of the caribou digging, making it easier for the arctic fox to catch them. The caribou is unaffected while the fox benefits from the caribou's actions.

Parasitic Relationship: Tape Worm and Caribou, Polar Bears, and Wolves

When the tape worm is in the larval stage, it lives within the caribou feeding on its liver. After the infected caribou is killed, the polar bear or wolf that killed it ingests the tape worm. The tapeworm does not kill the caribou, polar bear, or wolf but does cause scars on the liver where it was feeding.

Competitive Relationship: Caribou and Musk Ox

Caribou and Musk Ox typically eat the same food: lichen, berries, sedges, grasses. If food is scarce, the musk ox might begin to compete for food with the caribou.

Location: Northeastern Siberia

Endangered Species in the Tundra - 69° 6'0.34"N 143°59'55.19"W

Location: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Caribou are hunted for their hide, which is used for many things like tents, sleeping bags, and clothing. The number of caribou has decline from 2 million in the 1900s to less than million today.

Predators of the Tundra - 53°53'16.06"N 98°38'25.22"W

Location: Northern Manitoba, Canada- Alpine Tundra
Snowy Owl: feeds on arctic foxes, lemmings, voles, and various seabirds.

Polar Bears: primarily eat seals. In the summer eat lemmings, arctic foxes, and ducks.

Wolverine: eat small rodents and rabbits and occasionally large prey like caribou.

Coevolution Mechanisms - 81°37'45.23"N 12°38'25.15"W

Camoflouge in the Tundra

Arctic Fox: During the winter, the fox's coat will turn into a snow white color. During the summer, the coat will be a brownish grey color. This allows the fox to be less conspicuous to predators.