Habitat and vegetation
Some snowy owls come to the arctic in the summer to live and breed but only some remain there all year round. Snowy owls live on the tundra. They remain in the Arctic during winter unless their food source runs out. Their common habitat is in the north of Canada, Alaska. Snowy owls occupy the open tundra, usually from sea level to less than 300m elevation. They may also reside lowland, salt grass ,meadows and poorly drained freshwater, wet meadows, primarily for hunting. When food is in short supply snowy owls move to the south to the warmer climates in winter. The main winter habitat in the great plains is similar to their breeding habitat. Snowy owls are often found in the south seen in villages and urban centers, as well as in marshes and dunes. In the arctic permafrost crysolic soils, the high winds and the weak, thin soil make it hard for plants to grow this is why there is very little vegetation. In meadows, herb and lichen can grow. Plants such as purple saxifrage, mountain avens and the arctic poppy grow there in the arctic. From time to time the arctic willow can grow because the weak soil allows it to. Vegetation in the open plain and plateaus isn't good, but beneficial for some of the Northern Arctic. The only places where vegetation is wealthy is in the wetter areas of the Eco-zone that may include rivers, stream banks and river valleys. Melting occurs in these areas during spring which provides nutrients that assists in the growth of plants. Flowers such as mountain Sorrel may be frequently seen growing among whats left of the snow, this is possible because the plants have mastered how to adapt to the seasons and the snow.
Geographic Range
Snowy owls have a circumpolar distribution. They breed in coastal Alaska, Canada and Greenland as well as in the Northern Siberia. In winter snowy owls tend to relocate in Canada and North of United states, further south into the U.S , in Iceland, the British Isles, Northern Europe, Central Russia, Northern China and Sakhalin.
Snowy owls have a circumpolar distribution. They breed in coastal Alaska, Canada and Greenland as well as in the Northern Siberia. In winter snowy owls tend to relocate in Canada and North of United states, further south into the U.S , in Iceland, the British Isles, Northern Europe, Central Russia, Northern China and Sakhalin.
Wildlife
The common mammal wildlife in the Arctic Eco-zone is the Peary and barren-ground caribou, muskox, wolf, arctic fox, polar bear, arctic hare and brown and collared lemmings. Winged and water wild-life includes: the Canadian geese, the red-throat loon, eider and king eider, Brant, old squaw, gyrfalcon, willow, rock ptarmigan and many others.
Landforms
The Eco-zone covers 1.5 million km squared. The landforms in the arctic are different everywhere. In the west there are low land plains covering that area. The land is covered by bed rock and many layers of moraine and marine. In the east the area is covered by rocky hills and plateaus. The north has ice neighboring the islands year through, and in the south water neighboring the islands during the short summers. Permafrost can reach up to several hundred meters into the earth. The land contains cryosolic soils which are soils that contain frozen materials with temperatures reaching 0 degrees Celsius.
Climate
The arctic holds a dry and cold climate. Precipitation can vary around 100-200 mm. Meaning that the temperatures in January is around -30 to -35 degrees Celsius. During the summer in July it increases from 5 to 10 degree Celsius. During winter the arctic nights can last for months.