Organisms of the northern alpine tundra probably evolved before those of the Arctic tundra, appearing first in the Mongolo-Tibetan Plateau. Few alpine animals, however, contributed directly to the evolution of Arctic tundra species, because physical barriers prevented the migration of species and because alpine and Arctic animals were specialized to their particular environments. However, alpine plants and some animals migrated east and west through mountain ranges to Europe and North America. Lowland tundra animals appear to have evolved in central Eurasia when tundra replaced the cold temperate steppe. These animals migrated west to Europe about one million years ago, during ...(100 of 4783 words)