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Fig 1: Aurora borealis, or the northern lights, dancing over the Jokulsarlon lagoon, Iceland (Photo credit: iStock/krissanapongw)
As I was preparing to write this post about the Arctic landscape, my daughter caught me lingering on the photo above and taking in the beauty of the Northern Lights over the Jokulsarlon lagoon, Iceland. Spontaneously, she broke into a soulful rendition of “Let it go” from Frozen. That’s her standard response to anything that, even remotely, resembles the Arctic landscape. For her, it is Anna and Elsa’s home, a magical place of crystal-clear fjords, snow flurries and cuddly friends like Olaf.
And magical it is! I have to confess that it wasn’t just my little girl who was mesmerized by the beauty of the place. My bucket list has got its latest addition – stand underneath the northern lights and watch the still waters of the lagoon reflect the dancing lights in the starry sky. For tropical dwellers like us, the Arctic, with its snowy landscape and perpetual state of deep freeze, may as well belong to another planet.
Fig 2: Alpine azalea (Kalmia procumbens) in bloom on a fell on a sunny early summer day in Finnish Lapland (Photo credit: iStock/Esa Ylisuvanto)
And yet, there comes a time when the sea ice melts away, the frozen land thaws and earth comes back to life from a state of suspended animation. After a months-long polar night, the arctic wakes up from a cold and dark winter to a bright and sunny summer. The sun rises at the North pole on summer equinox (March 21) and stays above horizon throughout the Arctic summer, earning it the name ‘Land of the Midnight Sun.’
The plants of the Arctic have adapted themselves to capitalize on the window of opportunity provided by the perpetual brightness of the long polar day, which makes up for the shortness of the growing season. As soon as the first ray of sun shines on the frozen landscape, the plants get to work. They quickly put out new leaves and buds to literally ‘make hay while the sun shines.’ The plants are usually small and ground-hugging, an important adaptation to deal with the wind and the frost. The wildflowers bloom all around, adding specks of color to the landscape during the short breather after a long winter. Join us as we explore the wildflowers adorning the Arctic landscape.
Fig 3: The Arctic fox, which is known to adorn its elaborate den with wildflowers (Photo credit: iStock/drferry)
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