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ARCTIC PLANT LIFE
http://www.aitc.sk.ca/saskschools/arctic/Aplants2.html
How are plants able
to grow in the Arctic?
There are ways that plants
have adapted. Most of the
plants are small, grow
close together and close to
the ground. This protects
them from the cold
temperatures and the
strong winds. Some
flowering plants have fuzzy
coverings on the stems,
leaves and buds to provide protection from the wind. Some have
woolly seed covers. Flowering plants use the long hours of sunlight to
produce flowers quickly in the short growing season. Some plants
have cup-shaped flowers that face up to the sun, so the sun's rays
are directed towards the centre of the flower. These plants stay
warmer than the air around them. Others are dark colored so the
plants can absorb more solar heat. Only the top layer of soil thaws
out so plants have shallow roots. Small leaves help the plants retain
moisture. Because of
the short growing
season, most tundra
plants are perennials.
Perennials do not die in
the winter. Some plants,
like lichens, can survive
on bare rock. Moss can
grow in wet places or on
bare rock.