|
Although the North is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals, it is not as diverse as southern Canada. Extreme Northern climate conditions limit the types of animals and plants that can live there. However, because of the many different microclimates in the North, habitat diversity is high. That means that there are many different types of habitats where plants and animals can live.
Plants and animals have developed special adaptations to survive the harsh conditions.
 |
Choose a northern plant or animal and research its habitat, adaptations and status under COSEWIC. Find out what can be done to help that species and others. Use the following web sites in your research:
|
Plants in the North have adapted to the wind and cold by growing close to the ground where they are protected by the snow in the winter. Mountain avens have the ability to store and recycle nutrients from year to year to make up for the short growing season.
Many animals such as the arctic fox, arctic hare and rock ptarmigan, have white fur in the winter and brown fur in the summer. They have developed this adaptation to camouflage themselves from other animals. Some animals hibernate (polar bears) or migrate (caribou and arctic tern) to escape the cold. Those that stay throughout the winter survive by storing fat (whales) to use as energy during the coldest months, or growing extra layers of hair or fur (muskox).
Many northern plant and animal species are considered endangered, threatened, or of special concern by COSEWIC (the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada). Northern species have such unique adaptations to their surroundings that mining, buildings, pollution and climate change have a big impact on their health and well being.
|
