What plant life lives in Antarctica?
Antarctica is about twice the size of Australia. You can find plant life on only about 2% of this area. This is because of rapid temperature changes, strong drying winds, irregular water and nutrient supplies and continual soil movement due to freezing and thawing. Plants can be found in the dry valleys of Victoria Land, the Antarctic Peninsula, in small areas where the snow melts in summer, and in freshwater lakes. On exposed rocks where it is very dry you would find lichens (there are about 350 species) and in the wetter areas, mosses (about 70 species in total) and liverworts. In summer you might see pink snow – caused by pink algae surviving there. Only two flowering plants grow south of 60 degrees south – a hair grass Deschampsia antarctica and pearlwort Colobenthos quitensis. These live in small clumps near the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The plants need nutrients and tend to grow around nesting birds. Seaweeds can also be found in the surrounding waters. Is there anyt
