On the northern outskirts of Europe, Asia and America, the tundra reigns. In the southern hemisphere, it is found only on some Antarctic islands. The tundra zone stretches along the northern border of Russia, washed by the icy Arctic Ocean.
Unique and harsh natural area
In appearance it is a gloomy, inhospitable and deserted area. Nine months of the year winter dominates here, the polar night stretches long and boring. To the treeless, bare earth comes the dim light of the cold moon. Lonely stars twinkle sparingly. The rare, fabulous beauty of the northern lights pleases the eye.
Rare mosses and lone lichens grow on this lifeless soil bound by permafrost for tens, sometimes hundreds, meters in depth. A little south and stunted shrubs, taking root in peaty soil.
In order to answer the question of whether there is a polar night in the mountain tundra, one should deal with the definition of this ecosystem.
Amazing biome
The mountain tundra, also called "high mountain", is called the existing type of ecosystem, located in a vertical pattern of zones. The territory of this natural biome stretches from the snow-ice belt to the mountainous. Its border corresponds to the boundary of forests and runs along the line of snow. The boundary of the climatic zone is the average summer isotherm + 10 °. This high-altitude zone is characteristic of the subarctic and temperate mountain ranges.
The main differences between the mountain tundra and the Arctic are the best soil drainage and weak bogging of the soil.
Weather conditions of the northern lands
The scientific explanation of whether there is a polar night in the mountain tundra is the climate of this zone. These areas are characterized by extremely low air temperature with a decrease in accordance with an adiabatic gradient of 1 ° C for every 100-200 m in height. The mountain tundra is characterized by negative average annual air temperature. A strong wind prevails here, and high activity is characteristic of solar radiation. The zone is characterized by rarefied air, uneven distribution, and an intensive change in its humidity. Snow cover is not uniformly distributed.
Explain whether the polar night in the mountain tundra, will help and the specific location of the zone. This natural phenomenon occurs in those mountainous areas that are located territorially beyond the Arctic Circle. Polar night does not happen if the highlands are located in more southern natural areas, which are characterized by a temperate climate. Indeed, in this area the alternation of day and night occurs in the same way as in areas of coniferous or deciduous forests. And the main condition for the onset of polar night is the extremely constant presence of low temperatures. And the only reason for this phenomenon is the geographical latitude, even north, even south. The main thing is the maximum distance from the northern or southern polar circle to the poles.
