![\"Lake](\"http:\/\/cornellsailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/m_IMG_1461.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLake in Dundas Harbour<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nOf course, there are no trees up here because it is frozen for half the
\nyear. This is because the period where the temperatures are warm enough
\nto allow photosynthesis to be strong enough to produce plants is very
\nshort. This means plants can\u2019t afford to grow tall, but have to
\nconcentrate on growing out roots and leaves for storage and producing
\nenergy.<\/p>\n
The tundra of the Arctic includes shrubs, herbs, mosses and lichens.
\nThese plants have many difficulties to survive, one of the main being
\nthe cold. They have to be able to lay dormant under the deep cold of
\nWinter, and survive the periods of freezing spells in the Summer when
\nthe plants are growing rather than lying dormant.<\/p>\n
![\"Moss](\"http:\/\/cornellsailing.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/m_IMG_1400.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMoss Campion<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nFor animals such as Polar bears, Summer is a dreadful time of the year,
\nwhen the sea ice has broken up they have to come inland to the meadows
\nand snooze the Summer away, eating eider ducks and any ripe berries they
\ncan come across. That sounds a little like luxury, doesn\u2019t it? You have
\nto remember that Polar bears are adapted to harsh Winter conditions and
\ndon\u2019t turn brown like Arctic foxes in the Summer and so become very
\nlean, and are at the peak of their hunger. This makes them very
\ndangerous as they will attack if provoked. Now you can understand why we
\nwere particularly cautious at our sight of the bear the other day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When you picture the Arctic terrain, you imagine rolling ice sheets and sky-high glaciers, right?<\/p>\n
Well, ever thought about what happens in the summer when all that begins to melt and some of the ground …<\/p>\n