Ecosystem

The extremely cold climate and short growing season are too harsh for tree growth.  All of the Arctic Region is tundra, a collection of small shrubs, mosses, sedges, and grasses.

Despite the low rainfall, the Arctic tundra has abundant wetlands. This is because of the continuous layer of permafrost underneath the whole region. In some places, this permafrost is thousands of feet thick!  This permafrost acts as an impermeable layer under the thin tundra soil, trapping moisture close to the surface and creating a network of small lakes and marshes.  

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