Key learning points

1. Cold environments (polar and tundra) and located at high latitudes close to the poles.
2. Cold environments have distinctive physical characteristics.
3. The climate influences other physical characteristics of cold environments.

Keywords

• Cold environments - environments found at higher latitudes and higher altitudes; they include polar, tundra and alpine biomes

• Biome - a global land area that is characterised by its plants, animals and climate

• Latitude - the angular distance of a place north or south of Earth's Equator

• Tundra - a vast, flat, treeless Arctic region where vegetation growth is hindered by extreme low temperatures and short growing seasons

• Climate - the average weather conditions of a place over a long period of time, typically 30 years or more

Common misconception