Polar regions /ICSE 5th class syllabus

POLAR REGIONS For joshitha

Class 5

By her mother

sarala

The polar regions are the cold lands of the earth situated in the frigid zone

North polar region is also called tundra

The word tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia means tree less plains

North frigid zones is located between the north pole and arctic circle

The northern hemisphere region includes arctic tundra and alpine tundra

South frigid zone lies between Antarctica and south pole

The southern hemisphere region includes Antarctica

Arctic TundraLocation

Arctic tundra is found around north pole , towards the north of the taiga belt. It includes vast areas of northern Russia and Canada

climate

Arctic tundra experiences two seasons

Summer with average temperature of 3-12 degree centigrade

winter with average temperature of -34 degree centigrade

Rainy season with average rainfall of 15 to 20cm average

During the summer months some times sun is visible at midnight .

This phenomenon is called midnight sun

The north pole and south pole experience six months of daylight and six months of darkness in summer and

winter respectively

Natural vegetation

Soil remains permanently frozen in this region and is called permafrostThe top layer thaws in summer monthsFew marshes, lakes and bogs are seen when the snow melts in summerVegetation hardly grows in this region

Dwarf shrubs Grasses Hedges

Mosses Lichens Scattered trees

Wild life

Caribou(reindeer)

Snowy owls Arctic fox

Arctic hare Musk ox

Polar bears

These animals adapted themselves well to the harsh climate

Human activity Reindeer herding

Uses:TransportationMilk

Recently natural oil and uranium have been discovered in arctic region

Inuit's(eskimos)

They live in permanent homes made of stone and earth

They have temporary winter hunting lodges called igloos, made from blocks of snow and ice

They wear seal skin in summer and caribou skin in winter

Dress made of seal skin Dress made of caribou skin

The women wear large tunics to carry their babies

They use sleds made of animal bones and skins pulled over snow and ice by dogs as transport

Traditional sled Snow mobiles presently replaced traditional sleds

They have large open boats called umaiks

The kyak is a light canoe for hunting and movement

Their chief occupation is fishing and hunting seals, walruses and fish

Fishing Hunting seals

Hunting walruses

The lifestyle of the Inuit's' has changed now with the introduction of health centers schools and permanent

settlements

Polar bears

Polar bears live in arctic regionThey have a thick layer of white fur to protect from cold and to camouflage themselves easily

Polar bears

polar bears are good swimmers

They can live with out food for many days as they

can store food in their fat

Polar bears can eat up to 68 kg of food

They love to eat ringed seals, berries and grass

Alpine Tundra

Location

Alpine tundra is found in high altitude regions all over the world (usually above 10,000 feet altitude)Large areas of the Tibetan plateau fall with in the alpine tundra zone

climate

This region is severely cold during winter

Summer with average temperature of 10 degree centigrade

winter with average temperature of -12 degree centigrade

It receives average precipitation of 30cm in a year.

Blinding thunderstorms and summer rain are features of the climate of alpine tundra

Natural vegetation

Soil is well drained unlike arctic tundra soil

Tall trees do not grow in the alpine tundra region because it is very cold and it has very little rainfall

Small –leafed shrubs Very short trees Tussock grass

The plants that are found here are

Wild life

Mountain goats sheep Elk Marmots

These are some of the animals that are found in alpine tundra region

Human activity The alpine tundra region is sparsely populated

Domestication of animals Fishing Mining

In the tundra region people suffer from frost bites and hypothermia due to exposure to

severe cold

Antarctica

location

Antarctica is a region between south pole and Antarctic circle

Surrounded by water,It is permanently covered by ice and it is called largest cold desert of the world

Climate

Coldest driest and windiest place on the earthThe coldest temperature on the earth, -89 degrees has been recorded in Antarctica

Most of Antarctica gets two inches of snow fall each yearEast Antarctica is colder than west Antarctica because of its higher elevation

Natural vegetation

Mosses Lichens

It has no plant life except for few mosses and lichens

Wild animals

penguins

seals whales

Birds in Antarctica

Gulls

Antarctic pigeons

Antarctic skua

Human activities in Antarctica

Antarctica has no permanent human residents due to extreme weatherHowever scientific expeditions visit from several countriessome of the countries including India has built research centers in Antarctica

THANK YOU