The Arctic Tundra Ecosystem in Northeast Alaska by Thomas R. McCabe National Biological Service Donald P. Garrett U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Don Russell Canadian Wildlife Service Ken Whitten Alaska Department of Fish and Game The tundra of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR; Fig. 1) represents nearly pristine, intact Arctic ecosystem. It is unique because of the close arrangement of the plants and animals occurring between the Brooks Mountains and th ...

Tundra The tundra can be found in the high northern latitudes of the world. Some plants and shrubs bloom in early autumn. During this short period of time, the blooms are brilliant. The growing season in the tundra is very short due to the frozen permafrost that only begins to thaw in mid-summer. Some prehistoric animals have been found preserved in the thick permafrost. The most common animals found in the tundra are the caribou, reindeer, and the lemming. Climate/Location Vegetation Heal ...