The Artic Desert Largest, Driest, Coldest, Highest and the Windiest Desert on Earth
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The Artic Desert Largest, Driest, Coldest, Highest and the Windiest Desert on Earth. An Artic Desert? Do you know where the largest desert on Planet Earth is? You might answer the 'Sahara Desert’. But you are WRONG! The answer is actually the “ANTARCTIC DESERT”. Arctic Climate: There is a large amount of variability in climate across the Arctic, but all regions experience extremes of solar radiation (sun) in both summer and winter. Some parts of the Arctic are covered by ice (sea ice, glacial ice, or snow) year-round, and nearly all parts of the Arctic experience long periods with some form of ice on the surface. Also the winds have an enormous effect on the weather. They bring dramatic storms with visibility reduced to less than 100 feet. In the winter, temperatures can be as low as -30 - -60° C Annual rainfall is about 200mm (8 inches) along the coast and far less inland. Distribution of the Biome: North Pole: South Pole At the North Pole is the The South Pole is occupied Arctic Ocean, lying in the by the continent of middle of islands and Antarctica, the mountains of which project through and the Canadian arctic the world's greatest ice archipelago. In all cap. No more than about 4 lowland areas the percent of the Antarctic's extreme cold land is capable of experiences above- sustaining life, while only freezing temperatures the coast of Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula for a month or more and several off-lying each year, allowing for a islands are warmed each varied plant and animal year by above-freezing life. temperatures Antarctica; home to ice, penguins, and ... what else? Marine Life: Terrestrial Life: Sixty percent of the world’s seal population There are approximately resides in Antarctica. 200 species of fish in Birds such as Snow Petrels Antarctica waters. and Skuas inhabit this Krill are a large portion polar region. of marine life. Penguins Whales Polar Bears Photosynthetic A wingless midge, Belgica Cyanobacteria Antarctica, is the largest and only true insect on the continent. Arctic Whales: Narwhals Bowhead Arctic Flora: In the Arctic, growing conditions for vegetation are very varied. In the southern reaches of the Arctic, plant communities can be vigorous, with low growing shrubs. The further north, the shorter and more scarce the ground cover becomes until in the high arctic the plants are scattered across rocky ground and the most numerous plants are the lichens and mosses. Here flowers are only found below bird cliffs or other areas of high fertility. Wooly and Hairy Lousewart Arctic Flora: Conditions do appear to favor the mosses and lichens and there are frequently areas with no sign of any vascular plants but with a wide variety of lichens and mosses. But these are slow growing and any damage to them takes many decades to regrow. .