Northeast Siberian coastal tundra

The Northeast Siberian coastal tundra ecoregion (WWF ID:PA1107) is an ecoregion that covers the coastal plain of the central north region of Siberia in Russia. This coastal region borders the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, both marginal seas of the Arctic Ocean, from the Lena River delta in the west to the Kolyma River delta in the east. There are several large river deltas in the area that support breeding grounds for 60 to 80 species of migratory birds. The region is in the Palearctic realm, and the tundra biome. It has an area of 846,149 square kilometres (326,700 sq mi).[1] [2]

Northeast Siberian coastal tundra
Omulyakhskaya and Khromskaya Bays, Northern Siberia. Note the thermokarst lakes.
Ecoregion territory (in purple)
Ecology
Realm	Palearctic
Biome	tundra
Geography
Area	222,480 km^2 (85,900 sq mi)
Countries	Russia
Coordinates	70.75°N 146.75°E

Location and description

The ecoregion stretches 1,100 km along the north coast of Siberia, from the Lena River delta in the west to the Kolyma River delta in the east. The terrain is flat and rolling tundra. The entire region is on continuous permafrost. Thermokarst lakes are common, caused by the freezing and thawing of permafrost.

Climate

The region has a Humid continental climate - cool summer subtype (Koppen classification Dfc). This climate is characterized by high variation in temperature, both daily and seasonally; with long, cold winters and short, cool summers with no averaging over 22 °C (72 °F). Mean precipitation is about 200 mm/year. The mean temperature at the center of the ecoregion is −37 °C (−35 °F) in January, and 11.1 °C (52.0 °F) in July.[3]

Flora and fauna

Plants of the ecoregion are those typical of the tundra landscape, with some isolated strands of larch taiga in the southern sectors. Dwarf shrubs, grasses, sedges, and moss are dominant. Common plant families include cotton grasses (Eriophorum), sedges (Carex), Dryas, willows (Salix), and various species of Vaccinium.

See also

• List of ecoregions in Russia
• East Siberian Lowland
•  Siberia portal

References

1. "Northeast Siberian coastal tundra". GlobalSpecies.org. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
2. "Northeast Siberian coastal tundra". World Wildlife Federation. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
3. "Climate Data for Latitude 70.75 Longitude 146.75". GlobalSpecies.org. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2019.