Tundra & Tropical Ocean

Tundra & Tropical Ocean Research

Tropical Ocean

Biotic Factors:

  • Dolphins

  • Sponges

  • Fish

  • Starfish

  • Seaweed

  • Shrimp

  • Sharks

Abiotic Factors:

  • Water

  • Sand

  • Oxygen

  • Waves

  • Rocks

Limiting Factors:

  • Light

  • Heat

  • Mechanical Support

  • Organic Matter

  • Nutrients

  • Water/ Air

  • Predation

  • Competition

  • Geographical Space

Adaptations in the Tropical Ocean:

Symbiotic relationships within this biome:

  • The Clownfish and the Anemone

  • The Harlequin Snake Eel and the Banded Sea Snake

  • The Whale Shark and the Remora

  • The Barnacle and the Crab

  • The Spider Crab and the Algae


The tropical oceans reside between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The tropical climate of these waters help regulate Earth’s temperature and major weather patterns. The planet’s biodiversity is situated within the tropical oceans and distribution of species depends on the processes of the ocean and atmosphere that occur in the oceans along the Equator.

Some adaptations within this biome include camouflage to sneak up on their prey, while other animals have colorful fur or patterns which intentionally make them stand out. Some species hide from predators, while others stay in groups out in the open, depending on strength in numbers. Some animals have dangerous spines or venom for protection, but even the most venomous creatures sometimes have predators. Different species have taken advantage of different food sources, some at the top of the food chain, and others at the bottom. So every animal is both predator, and prey.

Biotic factors living in the Tropical Ocean include dolphins, sponges, fish, starfish, seaweed, shrimp, sharks, and octopi. Abiotic factors within the tropics include water, sand, oxygen, waves, and rocks. Factors that are limited are light, heat, mechanical support, organic matter, nutrients, water and air, predation, competition, and geographical space.

Symbiotic relationships are a type of interaction between species. There are four types of relationships: Symbiosis, commensalism, mutualism, and parasitism. The pairs within the tropical ocean include the Clownfish and the Anemone, the Harlequin Snake Eel and the Banded Sea snake, the Whale Shark and the Remora, the Barnacle and the Crab, and the Spider Crab and the Algae.


Tundra is the coldest of all biomes. Dead organic material functions as a nutrient pool. The two major nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen is created by biological fixation and phosphorus is created by precipitation.

Characteristics of a Tundra

Extremely cold climate

Low biotic diversity

Short season of growth and reproduction

Large population

Dry cold and windy

The arctic tundra is changing dramatically due to global warming. The arctic tundra where the average temperature drops to 10 to 20 degrees fahrenheit. It can support multiple animals and their species.

There are two types of tundra arctic tundra and alpine tundra. The arctic tundra is located within the arctic circle while the alpine tundra is located in the high area of mountains above trees. The summers only last about two months and the temperatures are still very cold from about 3 to 12 degrees celsius.

Tundra animals

Polar bears

Arctic fox

Arctic hare

Snowy owl

Musk ox

Tundra winters are long dark and cold with mean temperatures below 0 degrees celsius for about 10 months of the year. Precipitation in the tundra totals about 150 to 250 mm a year including melting snow. The tundra is usually a wet place with all the melting snow because of evaporation. Much of the arctic is rain and fog in the summers and water gathers in bogs and ponds.

Vegetation in the tundra has adapted to the short growing seasons. Mosses sedges and lichens are common while few trees grow in the tundra. The trees that do manage to grow stay close to the ground and are insulated by snow during the cold winters.


This is a place so harsh on earth that only a handful of plants and animals can survive there. This is a place known as the tundra biome. The tundra may seem tough but it is a very sensitive environment. More people have recently been moving to the tundra to work on mines and in the oil industry. New towns and roads are built to support the population that is increasing day by day.