Bodies of Water in the Arctic Tundra

Despite permafrost and extreme cold, the Arctic tundra hosts diverse water bodies:

• Lakes – Countless shallow lakes (e.g., Lake Baikal, the world’s largest by volume). Most freeze solid in winter.
• Rivers – Major arteries like the Yukon (Alaska) and Mackenzie (Canada) carry glacial meltwater to the sea.
• Wetlands – Seasonally saturated lowlands, critical for breeding birds.
• Coastal Waters – Arctic Ocean, Bering Sea, Hudson Bay; rich in marine mammals.
• Palsas – Peat mounds with ice cores, unique to permafrost zones.

These waters sustain ecosystems and provide freshwater for indigenous communities.