Cold deserts, located on the polar ice caps, represent some of the most extreme environments on Earth, characterized by some of the coldest and driest habitats available. Commonly referred to as frozen or icy deserts, these regions feature extensive plains covered in snow, bedrock, and gravel, while also being partially dry.
In this article we are going to tell you all the Characteristics, flora and fauna of cold deserts.
Characteristics of cold deserts
The regions characterized by An annual rainfall of less than 250 mm and maximum temperatures not exceeding 10 °C are classified as deserts. A desert is identified as a biome, or bioclimatic zone, where there is minimal rainfall and life forms are scarce.
Despite the severe challenges posed by drought, low temperatures and minimal solar radiation, a wide variety of microorganisms, non-vascular plants and animals successfully adapt and thrive in these polar environments. You can find out more about the coldest countries on the planet in our dedicated article.
The elements that make up this ecosystem are made up of mosses, lichens, algae and microscopic invertebrates, including nematode worms, tardigrades and microarthropods (all less than 1 mm), as well as fish, birds and mammals, characterized by limited diversity but with a notable population density.
Cold desert climate
While the climates of the Antarctic ice sheet and the Arctic have remarkable similarities, conditions in Antarctica are more severe. The average summer temperature in Antarctica is -10°C, while winter temperatures can drop to -83°C or even lower. In contrast, the hottest place on the planet In these regions you can experience very different temperatures compared to winter temperatures that can reach -45°C or -68°C, with an average summer temperature of around 0°C.
In both Antarctica and the Arctic, precipitation occurs at a minimal rate, with inland continental regions receiving approximately 3 mm of liquid water equivalent per year, while coastal areas receive around 50 mm. Most of the time, liquid water is not accessible for biological use, and the low levels of humidity prevailing in the atmosphere promote the evaporation of rainwater and the sublimation of snow, converting it directly from solid to gas.
Winds can reach speeds of up to 97 km/h, accompanied by extremely low relative humidity. During the six months characterized by the “polar day” (spring and summer), solar radiation hits the surface at a steep angle and remains uninterrupted. In contrast, the remaining six months of the year (autumn and winter) are marked by total darkness, giving rise to what is known as the “polar night.”
Generally, You can learn about the desert climate in our article. These soils are characterized by their infertility and are derived from granite, sandstone, dolerite, or black granite. These soils experience freeze-thaw cycles, have high salinity levels, maintain a pH ranging from neutral to alkaline, and contain minimal organic matter. Furthermore, the soil can exist in a frozen state, known as permafrost.
The landscape is characterized by the presence of glaciers, boulders, rocks, rock fragments, snow dunes, lakes that remain perpetually covered with ice and minimal, infrequent and transitory water currents.
Biodiversity
The flora is limited and is characterized primarily by cryptogams, which are plants that reproduce without seeds, including mosses, liverworts, and lichens. Cover is minimal, at 2%. This specific type of vegetation is especially common in Antarctica.
The variety of flowering plants in the Arctic significantly exceeds that found in Antarctica, which is home to only two species of flowering plants. The Arctic region boasts a vast and dense vegetation cover, especially in nutrient-enriched areas such as the Lands of the Monegros desert, where bird species establish their nests. This type of flora has no equivalent in Antarctica.
The Arctic zone is classified as a tundra zone, characterized by habitats composed primarily of small vascular plants, with no substantial growth of trees or grasses, except for tiny, prostrate varieties such as Arctic willow (Salix arctica), which thrives in permafrost conditions.
In Antarctica, grasses reaching heights of up to 2 metres can be found, along with megagrasses such as Stilbocarpa polaris and Pringlea antiscorbutica. Here's how plants survive in extreme environments.
The Arctic zone is home to dwarf creeping shrubs, including the Arctic willow. (Salix polaris), which is among the smallest willows in the world, reaching a height of 2 to 9 cm. In addition, this region is inhabited by the Arctic willow (Salix arctica), the miniature willow (Salix herbacea, which is 1 to 6 cm tall), as well as the shrub Salix lanata.
The genus Saxifraga comprises several species; for example, Saxifraga flagellaris, a tiny plant growing to 8–10 cm tall and native to the Arctic; Saxifraga bryoides, an extremely low-growing variety rarely exceeding 2,5 cm; Saxifraga cernua, a small shrub growing to 10–20 cm tall; and another small shrub, Saxifraga cespitosa.
Additionally, the flora includes the dwarf birch (Betula nana), a shrub that reaches a height of one metre, together with the small shrub Dryas octopetala; Micranthes hieracifolia, a flowering plant that typically grows to a height of 10 to 20 centimetres; and the dwarf species Polemonium boreale.
Among the herbs that grow in these areas are Astragalus norvergicus, which grows to 40 cm tall; Draba lactea, which grows to 6–15 cm tall; Oxyria digyna, which grows to 10–20 cm tall; the Arctic poppy, Papaver radicatum; the Arctic coltsfoot, Petasites frigidus, which also grows to 10–20 cm tall; and Potentilla chamissonis, which grows to 10–25 cm tall, among others.
In Antarctica, due to the extremely low temperatures and prolonged periods of total darkness, among the approximately 100 documented moss species, the endemic varieties Schistidium antarctici, Grimmia antarctici, and Sarconeurum glaciale stand out.
A total of 75 species of fungi have been documented in Antarctica. Among them, 10 macroscopic species are known to grow sporadically alongside mosses during the summer months. In addition, there are 25 species of liverworts, including the alga Prasolia crispa, within a broader diversity of approximately 700 green and blue-green algae.
Examples of cold deserts in the world
- Alaskan Desert (United States).
- Gobi Desert (between Mongolia and China).
- The Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau.
- Eastern Patagonian Desert (Argentina).
- Bolivian highland desert.
- The Highlands of Iceland.
- Ryn-Peski Desert (Kazakhstan and Russia).
- High Andean Desert (Peruvian Puna).
- Great Greenland Ice Cap.
- Charsky Desert (Siberia, Russia).
