Alaskan Tundra Historical State

Tundra covers many parts of Alaska, from its northern coast to its interior to its Canadian border. I will be focusing mostly on its Western coast, which includes the Beringia lowland, and the Beringia upland. This kind of tundra falls in the arctic tundra category, more specifically the nearctic tundra.

Beringia upland map, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beringia_upland_tundra

Beringia lowland map, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beringia_lowland_tundra

The Beringia lowland consists of “three major disjunct areas along the Bering Sea coast of Alaska from the base of the Alaska Peninsula to Kotzebue Sound, as well as one smaller area on the east side of St. Lawrence Island and St. Matthew Island” (Beringia Lowland Tundra). The ecosystem is generally all low, flat terrain with a lot of moisture in the soil. In fact, “lakes and ponds cover 15-25 percent of the surface area, and wetlands cover between 55 percent (southern portions) to 78 percent (northern portions) of the region” (Beringia Lowland Tundra). The Beringia lowlands have been a major nesting ground for a number of bird species, including waterfowls, the Arctic loon, Canada geese, bristle-thighed curlew, dovekies, McKay's buntings, and white wagtails. Mammals, including river otters, short-tailed and leased weasels, brown bears, moose, and caribou in this region have created and maintained a permanent home in this ecosystem.

Beringia lowland tundra,

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Ahklun_and_Wood_River_Mountains.jpg/300px-Ahklun_and_Wood_River_Mountains.jpg

The Beringia uplands refer to the “steep, jagged mountain ranges set among large areas of rolling hills, broad valleys, and lowlands” (Beringia Upland Tundra) of the Bering Sea coast. Like the lowlands, many birds, such as the spectacled eiders, turnstones, bristle-thighed curlews, and the blackpoll warblers use this region for breeding purposes. The mammals that are frequently seen include arctic foxes, polar bears, and tundra hares. In fact “Caribou and muskoxen were both introduced there, in the 1890's and 1970, respectively” (Beringia Upland Tundra). An interesting, unexpected occurrence that takes place in this region is wildfire activity, which is common on the Seward Peninsula due to the summer drying out the lichens and mosses. 

Beringia upland tundra,

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Kuskokwim_Delta_Wetlands_-_Aerial_View.jpg/300px-Kuskokwim_Delta_Wetlands_-_Aerial_View.jpg

*The above consists of information obtained from the following sources: 

Tundra, http://worldwildlife.org/biomes/tundra

Beringia Lowland Tundra, http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na1106

Beringia Upland Tundra, http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na1107