Nature Essays

Arctic plants also have come up with their own unique schemes to attract insects for pollination. These Drummonds Anemone ( anemone drummondi) are cup shaped like a satellite dish in order to focus the sun’s heat to the center. The temperature in the center can be several degrees warmer than the outside air. This provides a nice warm place for a pollinater to land and soak up the rays while sipping on a little necter. In return, it gets a nice coat of pollen to pass on to the next flower. The warm air in the center of the flower also makes it ideal for speeding up the seed setting cycle after pollination. However, the warmth inside the flower is highly dependant on direct sunlight therefore many flowers will tilt and twist throughout the day in order to follow the angle of the sun. The color of a flower also attracts specific insects. The white and yellows as seen in the anemone attracts many types of flies such as crane flies, mosquitoes and gnats. Purple and blue flowers on the otherhand attract insects like bumble bees.
At the same time most flowering plants on the tundra must get a head start in order to be in full bloom when the long summer days bring in pollinating insects. Most of these plants including the anemone will form new buds in the fall which will winter over until spring.

The types of plants, lichens, and mosses that make up the carpet of the tundra are so numerous it’s quite possible that more are just waiting to be discovered.