Cape Heart Rock, Russia Photograph by © WWF/A. ZUCKERMANN-VDOVENKO   Palaearctic Tundra   115,200 square miles (298,400 square kilometers) -- about twice the size of Geprgia Relatively Stable/Intact

· Birds on the Bering
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
More Photos

Birds on the Bering

Millions of sea birds stop on the Chukotka Peninsula during their annual migrations. Here, tall mountains give way to low coastal plains along the Bering Strait, forming a unique ecoregion with a diversity of plants and animals. The climate here is not as cold as you might think, thanks to the moderating influence of the Bering and Chukchi Seas. Temperatures are mild for its latitude and proximity to the Arctic, ranging from a minimum of –4˚ F (–20˚ C) in winter to a maximum of 68˚ F (20˚ C) in summer.

Special Features

No part of this ecoregion closely resembles another. Permafrost (permanently frozen ground) results in a patterned landscape throughout the ecoregion due to its influence on soil types and distribution. Mountain slopes contain tussock and dwarf shrub tundra. Along the northern coast, sandy and loamy deposits are covered by sparse grass and scattered dwarf vegetation. Lakes, lagoons, and small rivers are numerous. And plant species are diverse, including cotton grass, dwarf birch, sedge, willow, Labrador tea, and cranberry.

	Spectacled eiders were given their name because of the distinctive patches around their eyes--white in males and pale brown in females--that resemble eyeglasses.

Wild Side

The Bering Strait is a focal point for the migration and summer foraging of thousands of birds. Birds migrate from wintering grounds in the Americas, Asia, and Europe to breed in Arctic regions. Nearly 3.3 million seabirds nest on the eastern coast of this peninsula. Species include spectacled eiders, common and thick-billed murres, parakeet auklets, tufted and horned puffins, and pelagic cormorants. Birds found in this ecoregion are often well adapted to life near the water. The common murre, for example, is a good swimmer that can dive deeply to catch fish. Puffins can dive as well, "flying" through the water with their wings. Large mammals roam these parts too--namely, the polar bear and the walrus.

Cause for Concern

Much of this region is proposed to be included within an international park, for which studies are now being performed. In the meantime, ship traffic through the Bering Strait and along a proposed northern transportation route could disturb and pollute natural resources. Oil and gas exploration are potential threats as well. On a larger scale, climate change--or global warming--could alter ice habitats.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.