History:

The name Tundra is derived from the word “tunturia” which means “treeless plain” in the Finnish language. Unlike most environments that yield abundant trees and diverse plants, the Alaskan Tundra is defined by it short grass floor. Another feature that affects the vegetation in the Alaskan Tundra is the permafrost layer frozen beneath the surface of the ground.  The Alaskan Tundra is so unique because it is at the intersection of the taiga and ice caps biomes. That is, it is not quite icy enough to prevent vegetation all together, but still not warm enough to produce rich greenery.