Polar Ice Biome
Kira Gallancy & Madeleine Tomasic
Scavenger/Decomposer
Climate
- The same soil bacteria that is found in other areas of the earth serve as decomposers in the polar ice biome. Due to the cold, however, it takes the bacteria much longer (sometimes years) to break down materials.
- saprotrophic: specializes in breaking down dead organic material (i.e. saprotrophic bacteria, saprotrophic fungi)
* Arctic: summer (3-14 Celsius); winter -30 Celsius)
* Antarctic temps can drop even lower
- <50cm annual precipitation
- arctic fox follows the polar bear and pick up its scraps during the winter, when prey is scarce
Species Interactions
Autotrophs/Primary Producers
Abiotic Components
Herbivores/Omnivores
Carnivores
-Arctic: north of 60degrees north latitude; -4665m to 0m
-Antarctic: south of 60degrees south latitude; -2538m to 4897m
- dense, insulating undercoat topped by guard hairs of various lengths
- layer of fat can measure 4.5 inches for warmth while swimming
- main prey is the ringed seal, also eats geese, caribou, walrus
- furry soles, short ears, and a short muzzle
- live in burrows
- hunt rodents, birds, fish
- covered in hollow-hair fur, provides insulation in winter and flotation for swimming
- eats mainly arboreal lichen
- small rodents, long fur
- feed on leaves, shoots, grasses, sedges
- chaotic population fluctuations due to predation
- extremely low temperatures
- ice and snow are constantly present; ground is covered in a sheet of ice
- soil is frozen
- strong, frigid winds
- eat grasses, arctic willows, woody plants, lichens, and mosses
- thick coat
- males emit strong odor ('musk') to attract mates
- small size
- small leaves
- can carry out photosynthesis in low temps
- types: red algae, snow algae
- small size, slow growth, asexual reproduction
- fungus/alga
- small size/slow growth help it survive the Polar Ice conditions