The Baffin coastal tundra is a small ecoregion of the far north of North America, on the central north coast of Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. This is permafrost tundra with an average annual temperature below freezing.
| Baffin coastal tundra | |
|---|---|
 Sam Ford Fjord shoreline on the eastern side of the Remote Peninsula | |
 1105. Baffin Coastal Tundra | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Nearctic |
| Biome | Tundra |
| Borders | Davis Highlands tundra |
| Bird species | Snow bunting |
| Mammal species | Polar bear, Arctic hare, Arctic fox, lemming, caribou |
| Geography | |
| Area | 9,100 km2 (3,500 sq mi) |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Nunavut |
| Geology | rocky coast, fjords |
| Climate type | Tundra (ET) |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Relatively stable/intact[1] |
| Habitat loss | 0% |
| Protected | 0% |
Setting
editThis ecoregion is a small stretch of coastal plain on the north coast of Baffin Island. The coast is rocky with many fjords carved by glaciers into the Baffin Mountains. The cold Arctic climate consists of a short summers (mean temperature 1°C) and a long, cold winter (mean temperature -22.5°C).[1]
Flora
editThe plant cover is sparse in the drier areas while the wetter areas have a fair cover of mosses, sedges, shrubs such as purple saxifrage, Arctic willow, and Arctic poppy and rushes.
Fauna
editThis coast is a breeding area for the snow bunting and is home to polar bear, Arctic hare, Arctic fox, lemming, and caribou.
Threats and preservation
editThis ecoregion is almost intact although there are no protected areas.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Baffin coastal tundra". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.