Torngat Mountain tundra
The Torngat Mountain tundra is a unique and pristine biome located in northern Labrador and the western slopes of the Torngat Mountains in Quebec, Canada, spanning approximately 12,500 square miles (32,375 square kilometers). Characterized by steep mountains, deep U-shaped valleys, and striking fjords shaped by glacial activity, this region is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species adapted to its harsh conditions. Indigenous Inuit populations have inhabited this area for thousands of years, referring to it as Torngait, meaning "the place of the spirits," reflecting the cultural significance of the land.
The tundra climate features short, cool summers and long, cold winters, with permafrost underlying much of the terrain. Vegetation is varied, including dwarf shrubs and various flowering plants, while the fauna includes unique species such as the only tundra-dwelling black bears and polar bears that den in the southernmost areas of the North American east coast. Conservation efforts, particularly through the establishment of Torngat Mountains National Park, aim to protect this fragile ecosystem, which faces significant threats from climate change and human development. The region not only supports local wildlife but also plays a crucial role in global climate stability due to the presence of permafrost, which stores substantial amounts of carbon.
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Torngat Mountain tundra
Category: Grassland, Tundra, and Human Biomes.
Geographic Location: North America.
Summary: This ancient and mountainous landscape at the northern extremity of the Labrador coast supports a pristine and fragile ecosystem.
The Torngat Mountain Tundra biome occupies northern Labrador and the western slopes of the Torngat Mountains in Quebec, Canada, covering 12,500 square miles (32,375 square kilometers). The region consists of steep mountains, deep U-shaped valleys, and impressive fjords carved by glaciers along the Labrador Sea. The valleys contain Arctic tundra shrubs and riparian willow and alder thickets. At higher elevations, vascular plant vegetation becomes increasingly sparse and transitions into a rocky landscape covered by moss and lichens.
The native Inuits refer to this region as Torngait, for “the place of the spirits.” This name was derived from the presence of Torngarsoak, who was believed to control the life of the sea animals and took the form of a polar bear. The Torngat Mountain tundra has been home to the Inuit and their predecessors for thousands of years. The incredible and pristine Torngat wilderness is known for its impressive and deep fjords, the highest mountains east of the Rockies, the only tundra-dwelling black bears, and the southernmost denning of polar bears on the North American east coast. In January 2005, a significant part of this region became established and protected as Torngat Mountains National Park.
The Torngat Mountains include a collection of geological features explaining the processes that formed this spectacular landscape over the past 3.9 billion years. The slow repetition of plate tectonic events is clearly seen in the rock record. Major mountain-building events occurred during the Archean period (before 2.5 billion years), early Proterozoic (1.6 billion to 2.5 billion years), and in the late Jurassic to Tertiary (after 200 million years).
These major geologic events have created spectacular mountains that are the highest in eastern continental Canada, with peaks over 5,000 feet (1,524 meters). Throughout the mountains, glaciers have carved deep, U-shape valleys. More than 40 small glaciers exist in the Torngat Mountains and are the only remnants of the last ice age left in eastern continental North America.
The northern Labrador region has a tundra climate comprised of short, cool, moist summers and long, cold winters. The mean temperature is 1 degree F (minus 17 degrees C) in winter and 39 degrees F (4 degrees C) in the summer months. The coastal ice can persist here into July, and permafrost underlies the majority of the landmass in this region. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 16 to 28 inches (400 to 700 millimeters), with higher annual precipitation in the central high-elevation regions.
Vegetation
The rocky landscape and cold climate support areas of distinct vegetation. Toward the north of the biome, the dwarf shrubs decrease in size. The tundra vegetation includes ferns, flowering plants, mosses, liverworts, wildflowers, Arctic sedge, and patches of Arctic mixed evergreen and deciduous shrubs. If the conditions are moist enough, typically along the edge of rivers, Arctic black spruce and mixed evergreen and deciduous shrubs flourish.
Other shrubs include dwarf birch, willows, and heath species. Bearberry and mountain cranberry provide bears food in the late summer. While in bloom, the Arctic poppy and mountain cranberry, or redberry, dot the landscape in yellow and red patches. Where the conditions become too harsh and vegetation becomes sparse and less diverse, shrubs fade away, and lichens inhabit rock surfaces.
Fauna
The harsh climatic conditions and steep geologic formations keep human visitors to a minimum, yet support a variety of boreal and Arctic species. The Torngat Mountains are home to mostly small mammals, such as the Arctic ground squirrel, but do provide seasonal habitat for polar bears and caribou. As the seasons change, both boreal and Arctic species migrate. Boreal species seek habitat during the summer months until they reach their northern limit, while Arctic species seek refuge during the winter months.
Globally, this region is known to be the home of the only tundra-dwelling black bears. The Torngat Mountain tundra also provides habitat for the southernmost-denning polar bears on the North American east coast. Arctic hare and Arctic fox also roam this region.
The creation of federal sanctuary areas here protects these animals and several important migratory bird species that use this area for breeding and nesting grounds, including Canada geese, whistling swans, and oldsquaw ducks, among others.
Conservation Efforts
The Torngat Mountain Tundra ecosystem is relatively intact. Portions are now protected through the establishment of Torngat Mountain National Park. This ecosystem is extremely fragile, sensitive to temperature gradients, and vulnerable to climate change. In addition, any human development would drastically interfere with the wildlife in this region.
A severe threat to the Torngat Mountain tundra and tundra regions all over the world are the warming temperatures associated with climate change. The melting of permafrost creates a severe risk for the vegetation and animal communities that inhabit these areas.
In addition, permafrost stores an enormous amount of carbon. When permafrost melts, this carbon is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and methane, both of which are greenhouse gases. Therefore, protection of the Torngat Mountain Tundra ecosystem is quite important for both the preservation of the natural communities here, and for global climate change mitigation. The melting tundra has also resulted in the spread of shrubs into regions that were formerly frozen and rocky. This rise in greenery caused an explosion in insects, such as black flies and mosquitoes. The insect swarms can be so thick at times that people are reluctant to venture outdoors.
Bibliography
Bird, Lindsay. “As Shrubs Take Over Labrador’s Tundra, the Effects of Climate Change Stretch Beyond the Ice.” CBC/Radio-Canada, 29 Apr. 2021, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/thin-ice-labrador-summer-climate-changes-1.6005130. Accessed 29 Aug. 2022.
Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). Ecological Regions of North America: Toward a Common Perspective. Montreal, Canada: CEC, 1997.
Payette, S. “Contrasted Dynamics of Northern Labrador Tree Lines Caused by Climate Change and Migrational Lag.” Ecology 88, no. 3 (2007).
Ricketts, T. H. Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: A Conservation Assessment. Washington, DC: Island Press, 1999.