Polar desert
Description (English)
Polar desert is characterized by extreme low summer temperatures, low precipitation and shallow, usually base-rich soils over permafrost and flat or low undulating relief. The habitat is often totally bare or has at most a very sparse low cover of rosette plants growing among bryophytes and lichens. A light snow cover can encourage somewhat more extensive growth and areas with higher precipitation where reindeer graze and defaecate benefit from more moisture and nutrients.
Source: EUNIS habitat classification
Quick facts
| EUNIS habitat type | code U52 |
|---|
Vegetation types
Relation to vegetation types (syntaxa)
Not availableIndicator species
Flowering Plants
Juncus trifidus
Flowering Plants
Carex bigelowii
Flowering Plants
Festuca ovina
Flowering Plants
Sibbaldia procumbens
Flowering Plants
Veronica alpina
Flowering Plants
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Diagnostic species occur concentrated in the habitat in question, but are absent or rare in other habitats. They are good positive indicators of the habitat, but they do not need to occur in every location of the habitat.
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Juncus trifidus | Flowering Plants | |
| Carex bigelowii | Flowering Plants | |
| Festuca ovina | Flowering Plants | |
| Sibbaldia procumbens | Flowering Plants | |
| Veronica alpina | Flowering Plants | |
| Vaccinium vitis-idaea | Flowering Plants |
Flowering Plants
Festuca ovina
Flowering Plants
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
Flowering Plants
Juncus trifidus
Flowering Plants
Carex bigelowii
Flowering Plants
Veronica alpina
Flowering Plants
Sibbaldia procumbens
Ferns
Lycopodium annotinum
Flowering Plants
Gnaphalium supinum
Flowering Plants
Betula nana
Constant species occur frequently in the habitat, but they may include generalist species that are also frequent in other habitats.
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|---|---|
| Festuca ovina | Flowering Plants | |
| Vaccinium vitis-idaea | Flowering Plants | |
| Juncus trifidus | Flowering Plants | |
| Carex bigelowii | Flowering Plants | |
| Veronica alpina | Flowering Plants | |
| Sibbaldia procumbens | Flowering Plants | |
| Lycopodium annotinum | Ferns | |
| Gnaphalium supinum | Flowering Plants | |
| Betula nana | Flowering Plants |
Dominant species are those that often reach high cover in the habitat, thus determining the habitat physiognomy.
| Species scientific name | English common name | Species group |
|---|
Other classifications
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 2007 (revised descriptions 2012) | H5.1 | Fjell fields and other freeze-thaw features with very sparse or no vegetation | narrower |
| European Red List of Habitats | H5.1b | Polar desert | same |
History
| Classification | Code | Habitat type name | Relationship type | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200410 | H5.1 | Fjell fields and other freeze-thaw features with very sparse or no vegetation | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200308 | H5.1 | Fjell fields and other freeze-thaw features with very sparse or no vegetation | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 200202 | H5.1 | Fjell fields and other freeze-thaw features with very sparse or no vegetation | same | |
| EUNIS Habitat Classification 199910 | H5.1 | Fjell fields and other freeze-thaw features with very sparse or no vegetation | same |
