Name	Tundra
Map	800px-Map-Tundra.png
Map size	300
Map caption	Map of arctic tundra shown in orange
Climate	ET
Area	11563300 }}

In physical geography, tundra is a 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. The ecotone (or ecological boundary region) between the tundra and the forest is known as the tree line or timberline.

== Arctic == Arctic tundra occurs in the far Northern Hemisphere, north of the taiga belt. The word "tundra" usually refers only to the areas where the subsoil is permafrost, or permanently frozen soil. (It may also refer to the treeless plain in general, so that northern Sápmi would be included.) Permafrost tundra includes vast areas of northern Russia and Canada. The polar tundra is home to several peoples who are mostly nomadic reindeer herders, such as the Nganasan and Nenets in the permafrost area (and the Sami in Sápmi).

Arctic tundra contains areas of stark landscape and is frozen for much of the year. The soil there is frozen from 25–90 cm (9.8–35.4 inches) down, and it is impossible for trees to grow. Instead, bare and sometimes rocky land can only support low growing plants such as moss, heath (Ericaceae varieties such as crowberry and black bearberry), and lichen. There are two main seasons, winter and summer, in the polar tundra areas. During the winter it is very cold and dark, with the average temperature around , sometimes dipping as low as . However, extreme cold temperatures on the tundra do not drop as low as those experienced in taiga areas further south (for example, Russia's and Canada's lowest temperatures were recorded in locations south of the tree line). During the summer, temperatures rise somewhat, and the top layer of the permafrost melts, leaving the ground very soggy. The tundra is covered in marshes, lakes, bogs and streams during the warm months. Generally daytime temperatures during the summer rise to about but can often drop to or even below freezing. Arctic tundras are sometimes the subject of habitat conservation programs. In Canada and Russia, many of these areas are protected through a national Biodiversity Action Plan.

The tundra is a very windy area, with winds often blowing upwards of 48–97 km/h (30–60 miles an hour). However, in terms of precipitation, it is desert-like, with only about 15–25 cm (6–10 inches) falling per year (the summer is typically the season of maximum precipitation). During the summer, the permafrost thaws just enough to let plants grow and reproduce, but because the ground below this is frozen, the water cannot sink any lower, and so the water forms the lakes and marshes found during the summer months. Although precipitation is light, evaporation is also relatively minimal.

The biodiversity of the tundras is low: 1,700 species of vascular plants and only 48 land mammals can be found, although millions of birds migrate there each year for the marshes. There are also a few fish species such as the flatfish. There are few species with large populations. Notable animals in the Arctic tundra include caribou (reindeer), musk ox, arctic hare, arctic fox, snowy owl, lemmings, and polar bears (only the extreme north).

Due to the harsh climate of the Arctic tundra, regions of this kind have seen little human activity, even though they are sometimes rich in natural resources such as oil and uranium. In recent times this has begun to change in Alaska, Russia, and some other parts of the world.

A severe threat to the tundras, specifically to the permafrost, is global warming. The melting of the permafrost in a given area on human time scales (decades or centuries) could radically change which species can survive there.

Another concern is that about one third of the world's soil-bound carbon is in taiga and tundra areas. When the permafrost melts, it releases carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and methane, both of which are greenhouse gases. The effect has been observed in Alaska. In the 1970s the tundra was a carbon sink, but today, it is a carbon source.

Antarctic

Antarctic tundra occurs on Antarctica and on several Antarctic and subantarctic islands, including South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Kerguelen Islands. Most of Antarctica is too cold and dry to support vegetation, and most of the continent is covered by ice fields. However, some portions of the continent, particularly the Antarctic Peninsula, have areas of rocky soil that support plant life. The flora presently consists of around 300–400 lichens, 100 mosses, 25 liverworts, and around 700 terrestrial and aquatic algae species, which live on the areas of exposed rock and soil around the shore of the continent. Antarctica's two flowering plant species, the Antarctic hair grass (''Deschampsia antarctica'') and Antarctic pearlwort (''Colobanthus quitensis''), are found on the northern and western parts of the Antarctic Peninsula.

In contrast with the Arctic tundra, the Antarctic tundra lacks a large mammal fauna, mostly due to its physical isolation from the other continents. Sea mammals and sea birds, including seals and penguins, inhabit areas near the shore, and some small mammals, like rabbits and cats, have been introduced by humans to some of the subantarctic islands. The Antipodes Subantarctic Islands tundra ecoregion includes the Bounty Islands, Auckland Islands, Antipodes Islands, the Campbell Island group, and Macquarie Island. Species endemic to this ecoregion include ''Nematoceras dienemum'' and ''Nematoceras sulcatum'', the only Subantarctic orchids; the royal penguin; and the Antipodean albatross.

The flora and fauna of Antarctica and the Antarctic Islands (south of 60° south latitude) are protected by the Antarctic Treaty.

Alpine

Alpine tundra does not contain trees because it has high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine tundra typically does not have permafrost, and alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils. Alpine tundra transitions to subalpine forests below the tree line; stunted forests occurring at the forest-tundra ecotone are known as ''Krummholz''.

Alpine tundra occurs in mountains worldwide. The flora of the alpine tundra is characterized by dwarf shrubs close to the ground. The cold climate of the alpine tundra is caused by the low air pressure, and is similar to polar climate.

Climatic classification

Tundra climates ordinarily fit the Köppen climate classification ET, signifying a local climate in which at least one month has an average temperature high enough to melt snow (0°C or 32°F), but no month with an average temperature in excess of (10°C/50°F). The cold limit generally meets the EF climates of permanent ice and snows; the warm-summer limit generally corresponds with the poleward or altitudinal limit of trees, where they grade into the subarctic climates designated Dfd and Dwd (extreme winters as in parts of Siberia), Dfc typical in Alaska, Canada, European Russia, and Western Siberia (cold winters with months of freezing), or even Cfc (no month colder than -3°C as in parts of Iceland and southernmost South America). Tundra climates as a rule are hostile to woody vegetation even where the winters are comparatively mild by polar standards, as in Iceland.

Despite the potential diversity of climates in the ET category involving precipitation, extreme temperatures, and relative wet and dry seasons, this category is rarely subdivided. Rainfall and snowfall are generally slight due to the low vapor pressure of water in the chilly atmosphere, but as a rule potential evapotranspiration is extremely low, allowing soggy terrain of swamps and bogs even in places that get precipitation typical of deserts of lower and middle latitudes. The amount of native tundra biomass depends more on the local temperature than the amount of precipitation.

See also

List of tundra ecoregions from the WWF

Fellfield

Steppe-tundra

Park Tundra

Alas

References

Further reading

External links

WWF Tundra Ecoregions

The Arctic biome at Classroom of the Future

Arctic Feedbacks to Global Warming: Tundra Degradation in the Russian Arctic

British Antarctica Survey

Category:Terrestrial biomes Category:Climate Category:Arctic geography terminology Category:Environment of the Arctic Category:Russian loanwords

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name	The Mighty Boosh
medium	Theatre, radio, television
active	1998–Present
genre	Double act, surreal humour
subject	Surrealism, fashion victims, ElectroPonce, fantasy
influences	Reeves & Mortimer, The Goodies, Mr Benn, Monty Python, Frank Zappa, Basil Brush, The Young Ones
notable work	''Autoboosh'' (2000)''The Boosh'' (2001)''The Mighty Boosh'' (TV, 2004–2007)''The Mighty Boosh Live'' (2006)''The Mighty Book of Boosh'' (Book, 2008)''Boosh Live: Future Sailors Tour'' (2008-09)''The Mighty Decider'' (iPhone app, 2010)
current members	Julian BarrattNoel FieldingDave BrownMichael FieldingRich Fulcher
website	The Mighty Boosh Online
footnotes	}}

The Mighty Boosh is a British comedy troupe featuring comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. Developed from three stage shows and a six episode radio series, it has since spawned a total of twenty television episodes for BBC Three and two live tours of the UK, as well as two live shows in the United States.

History

Fielding first met Barratt after seeing him perform his solo stand-up routine at the Hellfire Comedy Club in the Wycombe Swan theatre. The pair soon found that they shared comic interests, formed a double act, and "decided to be the new Goodies". After their first performance together at a bar in London in April 1998, Barratt and Fielding developed their zookeeper characters - Howard Moon and Vince Noir, respectively - in a series of sketches for Paramount Comedy’s ''Unnatural Acts''. It was here that they also met American Rich Fulcher, who became Bob Fossil. Fielding’s friend Dave Brown and Fielding's brother Michael also became regular collaborators. Richard Ayoade was another original cast member, playing the role of adventurer Dixon Bainbridge, though he was later replaced by Matt Berry in the first television series, since Ayoade was under contract with Channel 4. Ayoade returned in the second and third series as a belligerent shaman named Saboo.

The Boosh produced three stage shows - ''The Mighty Boosh'' (1998), ''Arctic Boosh'' (1999) and ''Autoboosh'' (2000) - all of which were taken to the Edinburgh Fringe. With the success of ''Autoboosh'', a radio series was commissioned by the BBC. Produced by Danny Wallace, ''The Boosh'' was first broadcast in 2001 on BBC London Live, later transferring to BBC Radio 4, from which the team were given a half-hour television pilot of the same name.

The first eight-part series, directed by Paul King, was then commissioned for BBC Three and broadcast in 2004, with a second of six episodes the following year. The second series moved away from the zoo setting, and instead sees Howard, Vince, Naboo the shaman and Bollo the talking ape living in a flat in Dalston. In 2006, the Boosh returned to theatre with ''The Mighty Boosh Live'', which featured a new story entitled "The Ruby of Kukundu".

After two years away from television, the Boosh returned in November 2007. Set in Naboo’s second-hand shop below the flat, the third series drew approximately one million viewers with its first episode, and in light of its success, BBC Three broadcast an entire night of ''The Mighty Boosh'' on 22 March 2008, which included a new documentary and six of Barratt and Fielding's favourite episodes from all three series.

Theatre

Original stage shows

''The Mighty Boosh'' (1998)

The Boosh, then consisting of only Barratt and Fielding, conceived ''The Mighty Boosh'' whilst working on Stewart Lee's Edinburgh Festival show ''King Dong vs. Moby Dick'' in which they played a giant penis and a whale respectively.

In 1998, they took ''The Mighty Boosh'' to the Edinburgh Festival, recruiting fellow comedian Rich Fulcher, whom the pair had met while working on Unnatural Acts. The show won the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer. During their residency at the Hen and Chickens Theatre in North London the following year, they built up a cult following, introducing new characters whilst developing old ones.

''Arctic Boosh'' (1999)

In 1999, the Boosh returned to the Edinburgh Festival with a new show, ''Arctic Boosh'', with Dave Brown acting as choreographer and photographer, as well as playing a variety of characters. ''Arctic Boosh'' sold out every night and was nominated for the Perrier Award.

''Autoboosh'' (2000)

In 2000, the Boosh premiered their third stage show, ''Autoboosh'', at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, adding Fielding's younger brother Michael to the cast. ''Autoboosh'' won the festival's Barry Award.

Nationwide tours

''The Mighty Boosh Live'' (2006)

The Boosh returned to the stage in 2006, touring the UK for the first time. Though drawing heavily from their earlier material, the main story combined these elements into a new narrative. A recording of this show at the Brixton Academy was later released on DVD, before being broadcast on BBC Three on Boxing Day, 2007.

''Boosh Live: Future Sailors Tour'' (2008/09)

The Boosh toured the UK and Ireland for a second time from September 2008 to February 2009. The show featured characters from all three series as well as the Boosh Band.

They made appearances throughout the UK after their live shows, at after-parties held in different places in each city. The events were called "Outrage", after the catchphrase by Tony Harrison.

Radio

''The Boosh'' (2001)

From the success of ''Autoboosh'', the BBC commissioned a six-part radio series for the Boosh. In October 2001 ''The Boosh'' radio series, produced by Danny Wallace, was broadcast on BBC London Live, then BBC Radio 4, and later on BBC 7. The show focuses on the adventures of a pair of zookeepers at "Bob Fossil's Funworld": socially awkward, jazz enthusiast Howard TJ Moon, and ultra vain, fashion obsessed Vince Noir.

Further appearances

The Mighty Boosh returned to radio on 22 October 2004, in a one-off comedy special for ''The Breezeblock'', a show on BBC Radio 1. Instead of the plot driven nature of their own series, this show featured improvised conversational comedy with Barratt, Fielding and Fulcher, combined with the show's usual mix of electronic music.

On 15 November 2007, as part of the publicity for the premier of their third series the same day, Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding returned to Radio 1, this time on Jo Whiley's Live Lounge.

Television

''The Mighty Boosh'' (2004-2007)

In May 2004, after the success of a Boosh pilot, Steve Coogan's company, Baby Cow Productions, produced the first television series of ''The Mighty Boosh'' for BBC Three, before it moved to BBC Two in November that same year. Though each episode invariably starts and ends in Dixon Bainbridge’s dilapidated zoo, the "Zooniverse", the characters of Vince and Howard often depart for other locations, such as the Arctic tundra and limbo.

A second series was then shown in July 2005, which saw Howard and Vince now sharing Naboo's flat in Dalston with previously minor characters Naboo and his familiar, Bollo, who was a gorilla living at the "Zooniverse". This series had an even looser setting as the four characters leave the confines of the flat in every episode, using their van to travel to a variety of surrealistic environments, including Naboo's home planet "Xooberon".

Series three started in November 2007, still set in Dalston, but this time has the foursome working in their shop called the Nabootique selling 'Bits & Bobs'. Their adventures and outings in the third series focused more on the involvement of new characters (e.g. Sammy the Crab, or Lester Corncrake etc.) rather than just the two of them.

Although BBC America originally aired only series 1 in the U.S (all episodes in their entirety), The Mighty Boosh began airing in North America on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block (with up to 6 minutes cut from each episode), starting 29 March 2009 with the third series.

''The Mighty Boosh'' Night

On 22 March 2008, BBC Three broadcast a whole night of ''The Mighty Boosh'' from 9.05 pm, starting with a new documentary entitled ''The Mighty Boosh: A Journey Through Time and Space'', documenting the history of the Boosh from their first amateur performances to their then-upcoming 2008 tour. This was followed by six of Barratt and Fielding's favourite episodes from the three series: "Party", "The Power of the Crimp", "The Nightmare of Milky Joe", "The Priest and the Beast", "The Legend of Old Gregg" and "Tundra". The pair also appeared in live links throughout the night, in a similar style to the openings of Series 1 episodes. On 23 December 2008, BBC3 held a Merry Booshmas Party featuring the entire series 3 as well as a broadcast of The Mighty Boosh Live.

Festival

On 5 July 2008, the Boosh held their own festival in the Hop Farm in Kent. It featured musical acts, Robots in Disguise, The Kills, Gary Numan, and The Mighty Boosh Band, as well as comedy acts Frankie Boyle and Ross Noble.

Media

Audio CDs

! Title	! Release date	! Contents	! Bonus material
	8 November 2004	All 6 episodes of the Boosh's radio series across 3 discs
	13 November 2006	Audio recording of their live show at Brixton Academy	N/A

According to an official MySpace page for PieFace Records (the fictitious music label mentioned throughout the series), Barratt and Fielding are to release an album of music from the show, "along with extras, versions, remixes and rare unreleased stuff all to be released later in the year on their own label - this one.". In interviews since, The Mighty Boosh have confirmed they will be releasing an album of their music. On 21 October episode of ''Never Mind the Buzzcocks'', Fielding stated that the Boosh have recorded an album, but don't know when it's going to be released.

DVDs

! Title	! UK Release date	! US Release date	! Contents	! Special features
	29 August 2005	21 July 2009	All 8 episodes of the first television series across 2 discs	Inside the Zooniverse, history of the Boosh, Boosh music, out-takes, picture gallery, commentary on "Bollo", "Tundra", "Electro" and "Hitcher".
	13 February 2006	21 July 2009	All 6 episodes of the second series, plus a second disc of special features
''The Mighty Boosh: Series One & Two''	13 February 2006	n/a	Box set of first and second series DVDs, plus exclusive booklet	Identical to individual releases
	13 November 2006	n/a	Recording of their live show at Brixton Academy	Backstage & tour documentary, the Ralfe Band, a deleted scene, The Culture Show piece
	11 February 2008	21 July 2009	All 6 episodes of the third series across 2 discs	Making Boosh 3, Boosh publicity, deleted scenes, Mint Royale promo, Boosh music, out-takes, Boosh 3 trailer, audio commentaries
The Mighty Boosh Special Edition DVD	17 November 2008	13 October 2009	Box set of first three series DVDs, plus seventh disc	Identical to individual releases, plus stickers, postcards, 'A Journey Through Time and Space' documentary, behind the scenes of a live night, footage from the Royal Television Society Awards, Dave Stewart interview, the making of Sammy the Crab, outtakes and deleted scenes from the pilot, pre-recorded live night links, cinema trailer,
''[[Mighty Boosh On Tour: Journey Of The Childmen">crimp (song)
	9 November 2009	n/a	A DVD release of Boosh Live at the Manchester Apollo on 3 & 4 December 2008	Features the full show, commentary, audience participation option, Bob Fossil's Vietnam Video Diaries, highlights from The Mighty Boosh Festival and performances from the Teenage Cancer Trust concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Footage was filmed during the aftershow party that week at Club Academy, and members of the audience in costumes were filmed and photographed throughout the week, which may also add towards the additional features. There will also be a "Limited Edition".
''[[Mighty Boosh On Tour: Journey Of The Childmen''	15 November 2010	n/a

Previously most of the DVDs were only released in Region 2 but as a result of a growing fan base in the U.S., the BBC rereleased in Region 1, Series 1-3 individually on 21 July 2009, and a Special Edition Series 1-3 Boxset on 13 October 2009.

Australian releases

''Series One'' - 11 April 2007

''Series Two'' - 12 April 2007

''Series Three'' - 6 August 2008

''Live'' - 3 December 2008

''Special Edition'' - 6 August 2009

''Future Sailors Tour'' - 10 November 2009

''Series One: Episodes 1-3 (Comedy Bites)'' - 4 March 2010

Books

On 18 September 2008, Canongate Books published ''The Mighty Book of Boosh'', designed and compiled by Dave Brown and written by Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt, Rich Fulcher, Dave Brown, Richard Ayoade and Michael Fielding. The book includes original stories, crimps, concept art, behind-the-scenes photography, comics, and various other things, featuring old and new Mighty Boosh characters. On 1 October 2009, a paperback version was released under the name ''The Pocket Book of Boosh''.

Awards

Particularly popular among followers of the indie and electro music genres which the NME magazine caters to, The Mighty Boosh has been recipient of the Shockwaves NME Awards Best TV Show for three consecutive years, even though there were no new episodes broadcast for the latter two of the three years.

Year	! Award	Category	! Nominee	! Result
1999			''Arctic Boosh''
2000	Melbourne International Comedy Festival		''Autoboosh''
2001	Douglas Adams Award	Innovative Writing
2004	British Comedy Awards	Best New TV Comedy
2004		Funniest TV Programme
2005		Costume Design - Entertainment and Non Drama Productions
2005		Best New Director (Fiction)	Paul King (director)
2008	Alistair Baldwin Comedy Awards	Best Stage Show
2006	Loaded LAFTAS	Funniest TV Programme
2006	Loaded LAFTAS	Funniest Double Act
2006	Loaded LAFTAS	Funniest DVD	Series 2
2007	[[Chortle Awards	Best Full-Length Solo Show
2007	Loaded LAFTAS	Funniest TV Programme
2007	Loaded LAFTAS	Funniest Double Act
2007	NME Awards	Best TV Show
2008	NME Awards	Best TV Show
2008	RTS Programme Awards	Situation Comedy and Comedy Drama
2009		NME Awards	Best TV Show
2010		NME Awards	Best DVD	Future Sailors

Notes

External links

The Mighty Boosh official site

BBC Mighty Boosh Mighty Boosh on bbc.co.uk

Mike Fielding Interview www.vexedmag.com

UKTV Mighty Boosh Mighty Boosh on UKtv.co.uk

The Book of Boosh official website

Category:The Mighty Boosh Category:BBC radio comedy programmes Category:BBC television sitcoms Category:2000s British television series Category:2004 television series debuts Category:2004 in British television Category:Television shows set in London

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