Northeast Siberian coastal tundra explained

Northeast Siberian coastal tundra
Map:Ecoregion PA1107.png
Map Alt:Ecoregion territory (in purple)
Ecozone:Palearctic
Biome:tundra
Area:222480
Countries:Russia
Coordinates:70.75°N 146.75°W

The Northeast Siberian coastal tundra ecoregion (WWF ID: PA1107) is an ecoregion that covers the coastal plain of the central north region of Siberia in Russia. This coastal region borders the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, both marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean, from the Lena River delta in the west to the Kolyma River delta in the east. There are several large river deltas in the area that support breeding grounds for 60 to 80 species of migratory birds. The region is in the Palearctic realm, and the tundra biome. It has an area of 846149km2.[1] [2]

Location and description

The ecoregion stretches 1,100 km along the north coast of Siberia, from the Lena River delta in the west to the Kolyma River delta in the east. The terrain is flat and rolling tundra. The entire region is on continuous permafrost. Thermokarst lakes are common, caused by the freezing and thawing of permafrost.

Climate

The region has a subarctic (Dfc) and tundra climate (ET). Mean precipitation is about 200 mm/year. The mean temperature at the center of the ecoregion is -37C in January, and 11.1C in July.[3]

Flora and fauna

Plants of the ecoregion are those typical of the tundra landscape, with some isolated strands of larch taiga in the southern sectors. Dwarf shrubs, grasses, sedges, and moss are dominant. Common plant families include cotton grasses (Eriophorum), sedges (Carex), Dryas, willows (Salix), and various species of Vaccinium.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Northeast Siberian coastal tundra. GlobalSpecies.org. en. November 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181222173316/https://www.globalspecies.org/ecoregions/display/PA1107. December 22, 2018. dead.
  2. Web site: Northeast Siberian coastal tundra. World Wildlife Federation. en. November 20, 2018.
  3. Web site: Climate Data for Latitude 70.75 Longitude 146.75. GlobalSpecies.org. en. February 14, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20181222125439/https://www.globalspecies.org/weather_stations/climate/654/322. December 22, 2018. dead.