About Plant Life in the Polar Regions

When you think of the Earth's polar regions, you probably imagine vast wastelands of snow and ice. This perception is only partially true; the Antarctic region is void of vegetation. It is covered mostly by snow and ice and remains frozen most of the year. However, the Arctic region can support vegetation. This unique plant life has adapted to survive the harsh climate of the Artic tundra region.

Geography

The Arctic tundra lies between the latitudes of 50 and 70 degrees north. It is a cold treeless region that resembles a desert where the ground is permanently frozen from 10 inches to three feet down. The permanently frozen subsoil called the permafrost consists mainly of gravel. The winters are cold and dark with nights lasting for weeks and temperatures dropping to as low as -98 F. The average winter temperature is -30 F. In the summers the sun shines almost all day with high temperatures of 54 F, producing a wet and marshy topography that makes it possible to sustain plant life. The average yearly temperature is -18 F with precipitation of only six to 10 inches of mainly melting snow with little or no rain.

Significance

The extreme and harsh geography of the Artic tundra results in a region that can barely support vegetation. Where vegetation exists, it consists of low lying plants such as shrubs, sedges, grasses, mosses and lichens. There are only about 1,700 species found in the region, of which only 400 produce flowers. The active growing season is very short, lasting only about 60 days. The terrain with its permanent permafrost cannot support trees except the occasional birch in the lower latitudes where the permafrost is not as significant. There are some willows found in the biome (region), but they only grow to three inches high. Most of the plant life has a mat-like habit; grouping together and growing dense roots to protect it from the sweeping winds and harsh soils. Many plant's leaves in the tundra turn red to allow the plant tp absorb more heat from the sun.

Types

Here is a small sample of some of the plants you may find in the Polar region:

Arctic moss: This aquatic plant grows in the freshwater lakes in the lake bed and also around the bogs and fens. This plant has tiny rootlets and has tiny leaves that are only one cell thick, and has no flowers. The Artic moss reproduces by growing shoots or by spores. This is a slow growing plant and lives for a long time. During the winter the plant stores nutrients to ready leaves for the next short growing season.

Arctic willow: This plant prefers to live in a dry and cold open places. It grows to about six inches high and can be found in many different shapes. The long branches root when they touch the surface. The willow blooms in the spring, and the flowers have no petals, but produce seeds.

Bearberry: This low growing evergreen blooms in the spring and has red berries on which bear like to feed.

Saxifrage: A small perennial plant that grows to 15 centimeters and has a mat-like appearance. This plant has flowers which turns into seed filled fruits. The saxifrage also stores nutrients in its roots for rapid spring growth.

Misconceptions

The common misconception of the polar regions being cold, windy and covered in snow and ice is partially true. The Antarctic region is void of plant life, even during the summer months when the snow partially melts. The Artic tundra, has been defined as a vast area void of trees. The trees are unable to grow because of the permafrost. Plant life is only possible because of the warmer summers. The plants survive by complex short root systems and low growing habits. The plants have to be able to store nutrients in their root system to get a head start on the short growing season and make the most of it.

Considerations

Plants growing in these extreme conditions are exposed to extreme temperatures and light conditions, having only a short vegetative period. They have developed a mechanism during evolution to adapt to this climate and exist in a fragile ecosystem. This system can be thrown out of whack by a small disturbance. Global warming, which has caused the Earth's temperature to rise, has inadvertently affected the plant life of the region, which in turn will affect the animals that live on the plants.

Resources

• About the Tundra