Arctic plants

There are many plants in the Arctic, including lichens, moss, and even flowers. These plants need to be hearty because of the long, cold winters and short summers. When the snow melts in the spring the tundra comes alive with birds and plant and animal life.

Lichen and moss

One of the few producers that can pretty much survive the harsh Arctic weather year round, lichen and mosses are key to the arctic food web. But they are only capable of growing during the summer. Primarily eaten by caribou, snow buntings, and Dall sheep, this plant is composed of algae and fungus acting in a symbiotic relationship.

Reindeer moss

A type of lichen and moss, is one of the primary producers in the Arctic food web. It's named after the reindeer, or caribou, which are the primary consumers but is also eaten by animals such as snow buntings. It is vital to the Arctic food web that this plant is plentiful because many animals depend on caribou as a food source.