The tundra is a natural zone which is in a northern part of continents. These are boundless open spaces of permafrost. The local soil never thaws more than a meter on depth. Therefore all vegetation of the tundra and also all its inhabitants, are adapted for life so that to be the least exacting to external conditions.
Tundra plants
Flora of a tundra natural zone is rather poor. First of all, it is connected with severe climatic conditions. Landscapes of the tundra can be marshy, peaty and stony. There is no fertile soil ideal for development of plants, here. In marshy areas, different types of a moss grow. The whole fields of cowberry, cloudberries and blueberry occur among mosses. By fall on this berry field the set of fruits grows ripe. On peat and stony soils of the tundra the plants similar to a moss grow. One of such plants is called a reindeer lichen. This plant covered huge territories of the tundra. So there is a lot of reindeer lichen that all the year round the whole herds of wild deer eat it.
In the tundra, not only mosses and a reindeer lichen meet. Here, in the places which are well protected from strong and cold winds in valleys of the rivers or lakes, it is possible to find big lugovina where various herbs reach half a meter height.
The tundra is also characterized by total absence of forests. From trees only the polar willow and a dwarfish birch meets. These trees are more similar to bushes. The dwarfish birch is so small that its thin bent trunk practically lies on the earth and hides in a moss or a reindeer lichen. Up only small branches with tiny leaflets are raised. The polar willow is even less, than a birch. At the time of snowfalls all its branches are filled up with snow.
Animal tundra
The most numerous inhabitants of the tundra belong to the class of birds. Especially in the summer a large number of geese, ducks and swans flies here. In lakes and the rivers they find to themselves food, generally insects, plants and small fishes. In the tundra so there are a lot of birds that some of its reservoirs grow white from geese, blacken from ducks. Shouts and a loud laughter of birds are everywhere heard. In the summer the tundra teems with midges and mosquitoes. They rush by air as if clouds, attack animals and people, and haunt them neither at night, nor in the afternoon. To get rid of importunate insects, people light fires or put on in special-suits. At the time of severe winters the most part of birds fly away to south countries. Not so seldom here numerous herds of reindeers rush. By means of the hooves, they dig out a reindeer lichen from under the earth. Sometimes here it is possible to notice polar foxes, musk oxen, lemmings and ermines. Occasionally in the tundra the polar owl catches sight. Its feathers of white color and therefore partridges and pestrushka on which she hunts simply do not notice her against the background of snow. The most part of animals of the tundra is covered with dense plumage or wool. Their winter color, as a rule, becomes white that helps to disappear from enemies, or to creep to the victim closer.