BIOMES

The east and west ends of the park are covered in black spruce forests, or taiga. The former receives 8-12 inches of annual precipitation, and the latter receives 12-18.

Taiga biomes are generally cool, reaching 14 degrees Fahrenheit in their coldest month (January), and 59-68 degrees Fahrenheit in their warmest month (July).

In addition to its moderate precipitation and low temperature, taiga biomes also include coniferous trees and long winters.

The northern section of the park contains a vast tundra biome, which has little precipitation (5-10 inches annually) and extremely low temperatures (as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit in winter). Although this area can get slightly warmer in the summer (37-54 degrees Fahrenheit), this area is considered an arctic desert.

Tundra biomes have the lowest temperatures and precipitation of all biomes year round, and as a result, are characterized by their icy appearance and nutrient-poor land.

Along the coasts are Arctic Ocean estuaries, which are the most productive ecosystems in the world. The climate and weather of this biome varies depending on the surrounding area, but estuaries are characterized by high-flow streams, mudflats, high nutrient levels, and organisms like small fish, invertebrates, and waterbirds.

The park has thousands of lakes, both deep and shallow, which formed as a result of glaciers and volcanic activity. These lakes allow aquatic organisms, such as zooplankton and fish, as well as terrestrial organisms, such as ungulates and furbearers, to thrive in this national park. 

The park also contains lots of rivers that originate from glacial activity in the Brooks Range, such as the Noatak and Kobuk rivers. These rivers allow for the transport of carbon, nutrients, and trace metals, and they also provide a habitat for anadromous fish like salmon.

However, being surrounded by tundra and taiga biomes, are prone to freezing in the winter, which interrupts the transport of the aforementioned resources.