In the extreme conditions of Antarctica, the basic needs of plant growth barely exist. Terrestrial plants found primarily on the more moderate region of the Antarctic Peninsula deal with harsh conditions such as extremely low temperatures, dehydration and low light levels. Additionally, the scarcity of liquid water and soil, which normally contains nutrients, conspire to limit plant growth.

The few areas not covered by ice are almost all rock, but some plants grow right in the snow and ice. Here, under summer’s sun, life-sustaining meltwater saturates the substrate allowing microscopic plant algae to bloom in such great quantities that the snow and ice often appear red or green. One form of algae forms a slick green layer that turns rocky ground into a bright green carpet.