How biologically diverse is the tundra?

Despite harsh conditions, the tundra supports diverse life. While low plant diversity due to poor soils, extreme cold, and short growing season, lichens, mosses, liverworts, grasses, sedges, and flowering plants are found, and flowering in summer is spectacular.

Animal life can be abundant; insects and spiders thrive, and large populations of breeding birds (more breeding bird species than anywhere else in the world). Invertebrates include springtails, mites, beetles and flies. The Arctic ground squirrel, collared lemming, Arctic fox, polar bear, many species of seal and walrus are among vertebrates. Caribou and reindeer are most iconic large herbivores.