7 -
Surviving the cold
Plants which cope with cold climates must tolerate deep freezing temperatures. Otherwise
they have to "seek" secure places during critical periods: below snow or below ground.
Control over their phenology is critical, and includes not getting tricked by short warm
spells and becoming active at the wrong time. The thick snow cover in the sub-arctic
mountains beyond the polar circle in N-Sweden represents a "warm blanket", often even
preventing soils from freezing. Lemmings are most active under this protective shield and
die if snow is missing. Photograph: Deep winter in March in the northern Scandes,
800 m, 68° N. See also
Morphological or phenological escape.