Glossary
The English version of our glossary is currently under construction and will be regularly updated.
Tundra
Refers to a vegetation zone found in Arctic and subarctic regions and characterised by extremely low temperatures and brief vegetation periods.
In this vegetation zone, the soil is usually permeated by permafrost; as a result, all but the topmost layer remains permanently frozen, even in summer. The vegetation found in the tundra chiefly consists of low-growing plants like prostrate shrubs, grasses, mosses and lichens. Since the vegetation periods are brief, there are very few species of tree, and they mainly grow only in sheltered areas like river valleys and alpine valleys. As a very fragile ecosystem, tundra is seriously endangered by climate change.