Correct sentence: In the tundra, mosses and lichens grow on rocks and soil. They are food for reindeer.
What is the tundra? The tundra is a very cold and windy place with almost no trees. The ground is often frozen under a thin layer called permafrost. In summer it is short and cool, and small plants grow close to the ground.
What are mosses and lichens?
- Mosses are tiny green plants that grow in soft clumps like little carpets.
- Lichens are not exactly plants — they are a partnership between a fungus and an algae (or bacteria). Together they make a crusty or bushy growth on rocks and soil.
Why do they grow on rocks and stones? Mosses and lichens do not need deep soil or big roots, so they can grow on bare rocks, stones, and thin soil where other plants cannot survive. They soak up water and sunlight from the surface.
Why are they food for reindeer? In winter most plants are covered by snow or are gone, but lichens and mosses keep growing on the ground and rocks. Reindeer (called caribou in North America) eat lichens and mosses when other food is not available. Reindeer use their hooves to dig through the snow to reach these foods.
Fun facts:
- People sometimes call some lichens "reindeer moss," but it's not a real moss.
- Lichens grow very slowly and can live for many years.
- Reindeer are specially adapted to find and eat these plants in the cold.
Try this: Draw a tundra scene showing a reindeer, snow, rocks, and little patches of moss and lichen. Label where the reindeer would dig to find food.