In
physical geography,
tundra is type of
biome where the
tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term
tundra comes through Russian тундра from the
Kildin Sami word
tūndâr "uplands", "treeless mountain tract". There are three types of tundra:
arctic tundra,
alpine tundra, and
Antarctic tundra. In tundra, the
vegetation is composed of dwarf
shrubs,
sedges and
grasses,
mosses, and
lichens. Scattered trees grow in some tundra regions. The
ecotone (or ecological boundary region) between the tundra and the forest is known as the
tree line or timberline.