Tundra is a natural zone of the subarctic zone, located between the ice zone in the north and the forest-tundra in the south. It is characterized by excessive moisture with a lack of heat, treelessness, widespread development of moss and lichen cover, and the presence of low-growing shrubs and shrubs. The term “tundra” is borrowed from the language of the Sami, who live on the Kola Peninsula and call treeless mountain peaks tundra. The Russian tundra stretches in a wide strip along its northern borders.
The tundra on Russian territory is occupied by the Arctic islands of Kolguev, Vaygach, the southern island of Novaya Zemlya and the mainland coast of the Arctic Ocean from the Kola Peninsula in the west to Kamchatka in the east.
The average July temperature here is +10-14°C. The annual precipitation is 300-400 mm. There is much more precipitation than can evaporate, so the forest-tundra is one of the most swampy natural zones. Melted snow waters predominate in the feeding of rivers, so floods on rivers occur in the summer when the snow melts. Forest-tundra rivers have a warming effect on climatic conditions in the valleys, so river valleys woody vegetation penetrates far into the tundra. In addition, river valleys protect forests from the fierce winds that occur there. The forest islands consist of birch, spruce, and larch. The trees are stunted and in some places bent to the ground. In the interfluves there are low-growing sparse forests with lichen cover. They alternate with shrub tundra. The influence of permafrost on species composition vegetation
IN warm time every year in the tundra zone the soil thaws only to a depth of no more than 50 centimeters. Next comes a layer of permafrost. This factor is one of the decisive factors in the spread of plants in the tundra zone. The same factor affects their species diversity.
Permafrost has a significant impact on the terrain. Freezing and thawing of rocks leads to their deformation. As a result of the heaving process, surface forms such as bumps appear. Their height is no more than two meters above sea level, but the appearance of such forms also affects the vegetation of the tundra, its distribution across certain territory.
Flora of the forest-tundra
The forest-tundra swamps are rich in peat, medicinal mosses, herbs, berries, and the species composition of animals is quite diverse here.
In the tundra, only the most favorable conditions for plant life are upper layer soil and the lowest layer of air adjacent to earth's surface. Both layers measure only a few centimeters. It is not surprising, therefore, that many tundra plants are very short, they are spread out on the ground, and their root systems grow mainly in the horizontal direction and almost do not go deep. In the tundra there are many plants with leaves collected in a basal rosette and creeping shrubs. All these plants, due to their short stature, make the best use of the heat of the ground layer of air and protect themselves from excessive evaporation caused by strong winds.
Mosses and lichens play a very important role in the vegetation cover of the tundra. There are many types of them here, and they often form a continuous carpet over vast areas. Most of the mosses and lichens found in the tundra are, for example, many green mosses (pleurocium, chylocomium, cuckoo flax) (lichens from the genus Klyadonia (this includes deer moss and other related and similar species). However, there are also specific tundra species mosses and lichens.
Both mosses and lichens tolerate the harsh conditions of the tundra. These low-growing, unpretentious plants can overwinter under the protection of even a thin snow cover, and sometimes without it at all.
The bulk of flowering plants in the tundra are shrubs, dwarf shrubs and perennial herbs. Shrubs differ from shrubs only in their smaller size - they are almost the same in height as small herbs. On flat areas of the tundra, where the snow cover is shallow, both shrubs and shrubs are low and do not rise above the snow. Among these plants we find some dwarf species of willows (for example, grass willow), wild rosemary, blueberry, crowberry, and dwarf birch. It often happens that shrubs are located in the thickness of a thick moss-lichen cover, almost not rising above it. These plants seem to seek protection from mosses and lichens. Almost all herbaceous plants of the tundra are perennial. Perennial herbaceous plants of the tundra are characterized by short stature. Among them there are some grasses (squat fescue, alpine meadow grass, arctic bluegrass, alpine foxtail, etc.) and sedges (for example, hard sedge). There are also a few legumes (astragalus umbelliferum, common pennyweed, and common oleaginus). Feature tundra herbs - large, brightly colored flowers. Their colors are very diverse - white, yellow, crimson, orange, blue, etc. When the tundra blooms, it looks like a motley colorful carpet. The tundra usually blooms immediately, suddenly - after the first warm days arrive. And many plants bloom at the same time.
Plants and animals of the tundra and forest-tundra are well adapted to harsh conditions. The forest-tundra is covered with island sparse forests, the basis of which is Siberian spruce, larch, and birch. Characteristic feature This zone is characterized by the presence of a large amount of sphagnum peat, tundra-permafrost bog and gley-podzolic soils. Among the river openings, soddy-meadow soils have become widespread, which in summer time cover variegated meadows. Here you can find buttercup, sparkle, valerian, and berry. Both in summer and autumn, the meadows are an excellent pasture for deer, as well as an excellent habitat for birds and animals.
The reasons why forests in the north gravitate toward river valleys are manifold. These are, first of all, the favorable microclimatic conditions of the valleys, better drainage, deep permafrost, and the sandy composition of alluvium.
Interesting features of the flora of the tundra Most months of the year this area has a dull appearance. Rare, low-growing plants are either hidden under the snow, or are bent to the ground by strong cold winds. But when spring comes, everything changes. On a short time the dull area turns into a motley colorful carpet.
arctic moss
This plant is most often found in the tundra zone. It grows on the soil surface, but prefers water bodies. The plant is interesting because it does not have a root system, but is attached to the soil using rhizoids - long, thin threads. This species is rich nutrients, and it grows all year round. Therefore, it serves as one of the main sources of food for many animals and birds during their migration. Arctic moss is of particular interest to scientists, as its example can be used to trace the natural evolution of life in a harsh climate.
Bearberry
it is called bear berry, although in fact it is not bears who love to eat it, but birds. Red dense berries and small green leaves attract the feathered inhabitants of the tundra. Bearberry bushes are low-growing, located almost at the very surface of the soil. And the berries themselves can be on them all year round, hiding under the snow in winter
Cloudberry
Cloudberry is a perennial herbaceous plant. Interestingly, it is a close relative of raspberries; they belong to the same genus. However, unlike raspberries, cloudberries are not shrubs, and the berries of both are similar only in appearance, but their colors are different.
Ledum
A low, beautifully flowering shrub with small, slightly curved leaves at the edges. The stem and leaves of wild rosemary are covered with peculiar hairs, which helps it retain heat in the harsh climate of the tundra. What is unusual is that the shrub is not eaten by animals, since parts of the plant smell quite strongly and are also poisonous.
Diamond sheet
This plant belongs to the willow family. However, it has significant differences from its relatives. The diamond leaf resembles a low-growing willow tree growing almost close to the ground. Like wild rosemary, its trunk, stems, and roots are covered with hairs that retain heat. But unlike it, diamond leaf is not poisonous; it is eaten by people and animals. The plant is rich in vitamins and calcium, which makes it a reliable protection against scurvy.
Video
Sources
- http://www.geo-site.ru/index.php/2011-01-09-16-50-20/68/572-2011-09-18-17-58-58.html
With the arrival of spring, when the first warm Sun rays help the tundra shed its winter attire for a short time, the area turns into a bright colorful carpet. The first flowers of saxifrage, saxifrage, and ice siversia appear on the hills; sedge and cotton grass bloom in the swamps. Behind these firstborns of the polar spring, Kamchatka rhododendron blooms magnificently. The buds, swollen since last year, are in a hurry to turn into buds and bloom. Many plants spend the whole summer gaining strength, but as soon as the flowers appear, the first snow covers them, not giving the seeds a chance to ripen. They will ripen only by next spring.
In the fall, strong mushrooms appear that do not rot in these places - boletus mushrooms. Here they are called birch caps. They are often taller than the trees they grow near.
In river valleys and on slopes protected from the wind, dwarf birches, polar willow, and northern alder grow, which are easily confused with grass. Their height does not exceed 30–50 cm. The tundra is rich in lingonberries, blueberries and junipers. In winter, shrubs are covered with snow, which protects them from frostbite.
Polar willow.
Those who believe that the tundra is lifeless are wrong. No, she is beautiful and cheerful in her own way.
The tundra is characterized by a cold and humid subarctic climate. There is practically no seasonal summer. Summer is cold: it lasts only a few weeks at average monthly temperature no more than +15oC. Winters, on the contrary, are long. Temperatures can drop to 50°C below zero. Features of the tundra - permafrost.
Due to the influence of the Arctic, the climate is excessively humid, but low temperatures do not allow moisture to be absorbed into the soil or evaporate, so wetlands are formed. The soil is oversaturated with moisture, but contains very little humus. Strong, cold winds blow all year round. The most difficult natural conditions cause poor plant and animal world. Few representatives of the flora are adapted to the harsh climate.
Tundra flora
The tundra is a treeless area with low vegetation cover. Mostly mosses and lichens are found here. Both of them tolerate the harsh climatic conditions of the tundra well. They can winter even under the protection of a thin snow cover or without it at all.Many mosses and lichens of the tundra can be found in other climatic zones: chylocomium, pleurotium, cuckoo flax. But some, such as moss, grow exclusively in the alpine tundra.
These plants obtain nutrients and water from the atmosphere, so there is no need to extract them from the soil. There are no real roots, and the purpose of the thread-like processes is to attach the plant to the surface. These features explain the abundance of mosses and lichens in the tundra.
The tundra also grows low-growing perennial plants: shrubs and grasses. Among the shrubs, blueberries and cloudberries are the most common. Among the herbal plants, it should be noted: alpine meadow grass, squat fescue, arctic bluegrass.
Only occasionally in places protected from the wind are there lonely dwarf trees: polar willows, dwarf birches, northern alder. The height of these trees is no more than half a meter. tall trees not in the tundra. They cannot take root, since even in the warmest time of the year the ground thaws no more than 30-50 cm. Because of this, the roots cannot absorb the necessary moisture.
In addition, during the short summer, integumentary tissue does not have time to form on the shoots, and when the temperature drops, the trees freeze.
In the tundra, all plants have xeromorphic characteristics, that is, they are adapted to a lack of moisture: many have a waxy coating or hairline, plant leaves are small and often curled. Thus, representatives of the flora are somehow adapted to the harsh climatic conditions of the tundra.
The vegetation of the tundra and forest-tundra, its forms, methods of plant reproduction, and adaptability to survival largely depend on the features that characterize these zones.
Geographical position
The location of the tundra zone falls on Earth. On the Eurasian mainland it stretches along the entire coastline of the seas of the Arctic Ocean for tens of thousands of kilometers. The northern coast of mainland North America is also occupied by tundra. The length of the zone from north to south is on average about 500 kilometers. In addition, tundra occupies some islands near Antarctica. In the mountains, where it is expressed altitudinal zone, mountain tundras are formed. Taking into account all the territories where the zone is located, its total area on the planet is calculated. It is about 3 million km2.
Forest-tundra is the zone where in small areas tundra vegetation and taiga vegetation. Forest-tundra stretches from west to east to the south of the tundra on the continents of Eurasia and North America. The length of the strip from north to south ranges from 30 to 400 kilometers. On its southern borders the forest-tundra turns into a forest zone.
Climatic conditions affecting plant growth
The climate of the tundra and forest-tundra zone is very harsh. The duration of winter is from 6 to 8 months a year. During all this time there is a constant snow cover, the air temperature sometimes drops to 50 degrees below zero. The polar night lasts about two months. Strong cold winds and snow storms almost never subside.
Summer in the tundra is short and cool. Frosts and precipitation in the form of snow are possible. Despite the surface of the earth, it does not receive much heat, since the sun does not rise high above the horizon and sends scattered rays to the earth. To survive in such conditions, tundra vegetation must adapt.
The influence of permafrost on the species composition of vegetation
In the warm season, in the tundra zone the soil thaws only to a depth of no more than 50 centimeters. Next comes a layer of permafrost. This factor is one of the decisive factors in the spread of plants in the tundra zone. The same factor affects their species diversity.
Permafrost has a significant impact on the terrain. Freezing and thawing of rocks leads to their deformation. As a result of the heaving process, surface forms such as bumps appear. Their height is no more than two meters above sea level, but the appearance of such forms also affects the vegetation of the tundra and its distribution over a certain territory.
The influence of soil on the species diversity of vegetation
In the tundra and forest-tundra zones, high temperatures are observed. It is especially noticeable during the period of snow melting. Water cannot penetrate deep due to the presence of permafrost. Its evaporation also does not have great intensity due to low temperature air. For these reasons melt water and the precipitation accumulates on the surface, forming large and small swamps.
High swampiness, the presence of permafrost, and the predominance of low temperatures make it difficult for chemical and biological processes to occur in the soil. It contains little humus and ferric oxide accumulates. Tundra-gley soils are suitable for the growth of only certain plant species. But tundra vegetation adapts to such living conditions. A person who has visited these parts during the flowering period of plants will have indelible impressions for many years - the blooming tundra is so beautiful and attractive!
In the forest-tundra, the natural fertile layer of the earth is also thin. The soil is poor in nutrients and is characterized by high acidity. When cultivating land, add to the soil composition a large number of mineral and organic fertilizers. In the treated areas of the forest-tundra, there is a more diverse variety of herbaceous vegetation, trees and shrubs.
Types
The vegetation of the tundra and forest-tundra largely depends on the type. Their landscapes seem monotonous only at first glance.
The hummocky and hilly tundras occupy the most large areas. Among the swamps, the plant turf forms mounds and hummocks, on which many species of plants take root. A special type of tundra is polygonal. Here you can see them in the form of large polygons, which are broken by depressions and frost cracks.
There are other approaches to classifying such natural area like the tundra. What vegetation predominates in a certain area will be the type of tundra. For example, moss-lichen tundra consists of areas covered different types mosses and lichens. There are also shrub tundras, where thickets of polar willow, dwarf pine, and bushy alder are common.
Plants
As mentioned earlier, the vegetation of the tundra and forest-tundra had to adapt to the harsh climatic conditions of the Earth's subarctic zone. Otherwise, her life and development would be impossible here.
The adaptability of tundra and forest-tundra plants is expressed in the following. Most of the fauna are perennials. Annual plants with a short summer would not be able to complete their life cycle. Only a small part of plants reproduces by seeds. The main way to prolong life is vegetative.
The short stature of tundra plants allows them to survive during strong winds. This is also facilitated by the creeping nature of the shoots and their ability to intertwine with each other, forming something like a soft pillow. In winter, all parts of the plants are covered with snow. This saves them from severe frosts. Most tundra and forest-tundra plants have a waxy coating on their leaves, which promotes moderate evaporation of moisture from their surface.
The vegetation of the tundra, photographs of individual species of which are available in the article, is represented by perennial frost-resistant grasses, buttercups, cotton grass, dandelions, and poppies that dominate the lowlands and swamps. The trees include dwarf birch and bushy alder. These tree species in the forest-tundra can already reach a height of three meters or more. Among the shrubs, blueberries, cloudberries, blueberries, and lingonberries are widespread. Mosses and lichens take root at higher elevations, many of which are the main type of food for the animals living in these places.
Forest-tundra and taiga
The vegetation of the tundra and taiga is very different from each other. Forest-tundra is a transition zone between them. On the territory of the forest-tundra, among the treeless space, you can find islands of thickets of spruce, birch, larch and other tree species.
The forest-tundra zone is unique, since tundra vegetation and taiga vegetation are found on its territory, which becomes more noticeable as you move south. Forest areas consisting of individual species of trees and shrubs create the most favorable conditions for the growth of herbaceous vegetation. Thanks to trees and shrubs, wind speed is reduced and more snow is retained, which covers the plants, saving them from freezing.
Study of vegetation of the subarctic zone
The vegetation cover of the tundra and forest-tundra has not yet been fully studied. Systematic scientific description of the species growing here began only in the middle of the last century.
To continue this work, special expeditions are being created today. During them, scientists are also trying to establish how the vegetation of the tundra and forest-tundra is influenced by the animals living in these zones. They want to get answers to questions about whether the species diversity of plants changes in areas protected from the presence of certain species of animals, how long it takes to completely restore the destroyed vegetation cover. So far, scientists have not found answers to all questions regarding the natural balance in the subarctic zone of the planet.
Fauna protection
The nature of the tundra and forest-tundra is very vulnerable. It takes dozens of years, and in some cases centuries, to restore the soil layer and vegetation cover.
Man has long realized that it is he who has a detrimental effect on the nature of the tundra and forest-tundra. Trying to atone for their guilt, people created a number of nature reserves, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries. They are located both in Russia and other countries of the world.
What is the tundra in people's minds? The imagination begins to picture a snowy, deserted desert, or rather a steppe, only the northern one. Permafrost, or, as they now say, permafrost, does not bring the desire to visit these places. But people live here too, some lead a sedentary life, some lead a nomadic life. And our story is about tundra plants.
Geographical location and climatic conditions of the tundra
It should be noted that the tundra is not monotonous, it can be of different types:
- Arctic.
- Typical.
- Forest-tundra.
- Mountain.
The Arctic tundra is located in North America. It is characterized by strong hurricane winds, air temperatures up to -60 o C. Summer is short, only a few weeks with temperatures up to +5 o C. Permafrost does not allow melted moisture to go deep into the ground, and the tundra takes the form of a swamp with plants in the form of mosses and lichens .
The typical tundra is located south of the Arctic not only in America, but also in Russia; the climate here is somewhat milder. Winter temperature- up to -50 o C. The warm period lasts from May to October, average temperature+5-10 o C. Temperatures up to +25 o C can remain for several days. The earth warms up deeper, but even here there is swampiness, characterized by the presence of small streams and lakes. Shrubs appear among mosses and lichens.
Forest-tundra, accordingly, is located south of the typical tundra and is represented by a vast territory on two continents. Characterized by the appearance of small trees. Temperatures range from -40 o C to +15 o C. There are many lakes here.
Climatic conditions depend not only on how many degrees north of the equator a given territory is located, they also change depending on the altitude above sea level. In other words, in mountain systems. The higher the mountains, the closer the climate is to the arctic ( strong wind, low precipitation, low temperatures, except that there are not so many swamps and lakes).
What plant grows in the tundra?
Plants here are forced to adapt to harsh conditions, and they do this very successfully. The tundra flora has a number of distinctive characteristics:
So what plant grows in the tundra? One that meets the features listed above, ensuring its survival in unfavorable climatic conditions.
Plant names
What plants are found in the tundra? The main representatives of the plant world are mosses and lichens. According to official data, about 200 species of lichens have been identified in Yamal. Mosses and lichens are closely intertwined with each other, making up “carpets”, usually of the same type. The most common include: green and peat mosses, moss (reindeer moss), Cladonia lichen, Arctic red bearberry. The tundra plants pictured above look like a colorful carpet.
Plant species such as cloudberry, blueberry, lingonberry, black crowberry, late Lloydia, onion, princess, cotton grass, sword-leaved sedge, dwarf birch, wedge-leaved willow and others are also widespread.
Why are plants in the tundra short?
The reason is corrosion. The word is similar to “corrosion” not only visually, but also in its essence - the desire to destroy. Strong hurricane winds in winter, blocks of ice, rock fragments, various boulders, and sand are moved. This mass moves across the tundra with at different speeds, grinding and polishing all hard objects in its path. What plants in the tundra can resist it? There is no such! Anything above the dense cover of snow is cut off and carried away.
Another argument in favor of dwarf plant species is the fact that the surface of the earth thaws no deeper than 50 cm, and then permafrost extends for 500 m. To combat wind and frost, a strong branched root system is needed, and 50 cm does not allow this.
Moss or reindeer moss
Resin moss is one of the most useful lichens in the tundra (and not only). It is a symbiosis of marsupial fungi, green algae and bacteria. It is a very strong natural antibiotic. Not picky about climate and soil. It does not tolerate pollution, so it does not grow near large cities. This perennial plant develops slowly and can be up to 500 years old. Reindeer love moss, but people often use it as a medicinal plant. If reindeer pastures have been in the same place for several years, then it may take up to 15 years to grow a new reindeer moss.
Cloudberry
Even if you are unfamiliar with many tundra plants, cloudberries are likely an exception. It is a perennial herb with a bony fruit that looks like an orange raspberry. It is considered a valuable commercial plant. Both its leaves and flowers and fruits can be harvested. Like many tundra plants, cloudberries are a striking example of northern flora: they ripen in a short period, and the fruits are simply a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. It contains cobalt, potassium, iron, chromium, phosphorus, sodium, copper. The vitamin A content is higher than in the recognized leader - carrots, and vitamin C is higher than in an orange.
Cowberry
A small shrub plant up to 30 cm high. The berries are tart and bitter, so they are frozen and soaked, then they become sweet. Lingonberry is used as a medicinal plant. Many people are familiar with the diuretic properties of the leaves; in addition, lingonberries have anti-inflammatory, tonic, wound-healing, antipyretic, antiscorbutic, and anthelmintic properties. And that's not all. Therefore, it is harvested from May until October.
Blueberry
It is a low shrub. Blueberries are another spectacular representative of northern berries. It is a close relative of blueberries and lingonberries. Describe her beneficial features it can take a very long time. Blueberries are most often used for eye, cardiovascular, gastric and intestinal diseases, as well as diabetes. It may be easier to tell what this plant does not contain, and what diseases it does not treat.
By the way, blueberries, with their taste and medicinal qualities much loved by gardeners living in warmer climates.
Black crowberry
Crowberry, a small creeping shrub, got its name because of the color of the berries: black, crow. Another name is crowberry, as its berries are watery and sour. The branches look like fir trees due to the frequent elongated leaves. The leaves and berries are used as a medicine against headaches and scurvy.
Lloydia late
Perennial plant up to 15 cm high, moisture-loving. Another name is Lloydia alpine. It blooms in June, tolerates frosts well down to -30 o C. Decorates the tundra with its flowers.
Bow of speed
A bulbous perennial herb that grows in the tundra on swampy and moist, poor soils. Onion feathers are used in food as a seasoning, including meat dishes. Contains vitamin C, carotene, essential oil, organic acids.
Prince
There are other names for this tundra plant. For example, raspberry, polyanina, mamura, drupe, khokhlushka, midday. In all these cases we're talking about about the prince. It is a herbaceous perennial shrub with multi-bone fruits. Tasty and aromatic berries are consumed fresh, as well as in confectionery products. They contain glucose, fructose, citric and malic acids, and vitamin C. Therefore, the berries are used for the prevention and treatment of scurvy and vitamin deficiency.
Cotton grass
A perennial herb that grows in the tundra in swamps and along the edges of reservoirs. Participates in the formation of peat. Blooms in early spring. Decoctions are used for treatment gastrointestinal diseases, pain due to rheumatism, and also as an anticonvulsant and sedative.
Dwarf birch
It is also called dwarf. The dwarf birch bears little resemblance to its relative, the common birch. This is no longer a tree, but a bush with several branches. The plant is found in the tundra in the form of overgrown islands. The leaves are similar to the leaves of ordinary birch, but smaller. By winter, the branches fall to the ground. The birch tree reproduces vegetatively, taking root in the area freed from moss. As a rule, these are places plucked by birds or broken by deer hooves. She also has earrings, but, ripening by August, they remain on the branches to “hit the road” in the spring.
Willow cuneifolia
Cluneifolia willow is not the only one in the harsh terrain. There are also such willows: Arctic, creeping, Nakamura willow. All of them are small shrubs (60-100 cm) with creeping branches.
Red Book of Tundra
Like all places on the planet, there is a Red Book of the tundra. Plants included in it are represented by Arctic sunflower, Lapland poppy, purple heartwood, Senyavin wormwood, and Beringian primrose. What unites them? That they are rare, but not endangered. Brought to the north by some unusual event (for example, during times of natural disasters), they took root here and became hardened.
Thus, the center of distribution of the Arctic sunflower is the Mediterranean Sea, Crimea. It is assumed that it came to the north during interglacial warming. It grows on the Cape Turi peninsula, on the seashore 4 km long.
Lapland poppy - found on the Kola Peninsula and Norway, endemic. What plant in the tundra can compare in beauty with the Lapland poppy? Therefore, its numbers are rapidly declining due to people picking the flower for bouquets.
Purple core - lives on the St. Lawrence and Nunivak Islands in the Bering Strait, as well as in Alaska. May reduce its numbers due to human disturbances natural conditions a habitat.
Senyavinskaya wormwood is a representative of Chukotka, endemic, considered an ancient immigrant from the American side.
The Beringian primrose, another Chukchi representative, may be declining in numbers due to human presence.
Why does human intervention negatively affect representatives of the Red Book? Among other things, the lack of roads requires the use of all-terrain vehicles, whose tracks disrupt habitats for a long time and are visible even after several years.
Tundra soil
A story about tundra plants would be incomplete without a story about soil. It is represented by widespread gley soils consisting of clay, loam and sand. Peaty, swampy soils are often found on the plains. The humus layer is small, only a few centimeters, because due to short summer the processes of decomposition of organic substances are slow. Mosses and lichens often grow on rocky rocks and their weathering products. There is practically no humus in such soils. The tundra soil is very poor and oversaturated with moisture, characterized by an indefinite soil horizon due to swelling and outpouring of the soil.
As a result of climatic and soil characteristics, tundra plants have developed high viability. Some of them acquired the ability to give birth viviparously, receiving bulbs or small nodules instead of flowers, ready for further germination. There are predator plants that hunt insects. All tricks are used to complete the entire life cycle in full and in a short time, and then stick as close to the ground as possible, cover yourself with a blanket of snow and fall asleep until next summer.
Since there is little warm and sunny time, the flowering time of most plants falls on the same period. At this time, the tundra is incredibly transformed, becoming like a bright canvas with green, brown, yellow and red spots. At this time, the tundra no longer seems cold and unfriendly. And it’s hard to understand how you can not love her for such beauty!