ABSTRACT
A general feature of terrestrial vertebrate faunas in arctic and alpine regions is the rarity of amphibians and reptiles. Soil type per se does not significantly influence terrestrial vertebrates. The short growing season in the arctic tundra and most alpine regions is thus of major importance in shaping the physiological and behavioural adaptations found in the annual cycles of terrestrial vertebrates. The chapter shows the ways in which birds and mammals of the alpine and arctic tundra are adapted to survive over the range of physical conditions they usually encounter in their environments. It discusses the adaptations that permit individual birds and mammals to survive the severe conditions of the physical environment encountered in the alpine and arctic tundra, and adaptations to specific kinds of foods and habitats permit individuals to obtain an amount of energy sufficient to sustain life and reproduction.
