Plants

A close-up photo of a rock covered in moss with tiny plants and grasses growing around it
A small piece of tundra is home to dozens of plant species

NPS Photo - Andrea Willingham

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve possesses a mosaic of plant communities comprising a mixture of flowers, grasses, lichens, mosses, shrubs and even trees. Each plant community represents a tile within this mosaic and their development is largely influenced by climate and topography. The plants growing in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve and the surrounding area adapted a shallow root system due to the effects of permafrost – a layer of soil below the surface that remains frozen year round. Plants can only grow within a narrow band of active soil: the grout that holds each plant community in place. It is exposed to sunlight and moisture allowing the absorption of nutrients.

The topography of Bering Land Bridge is extremely diverse: ranging from steep mountain ridges to bottom land river valleys. Distinctive plants thrive in terrestrial and aquatic environments favoring upland ridges and slopes, along meandering riverbanks and backwater marshes and meadows. Examine just a small section of tundra and you will find it covered with a dozen of different species. Each environment represents a unique tile that fits perfectly within the mosaic of plant communities in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.

 
  • A row of white flowers with a yellow center.
    Wildflowers

    Many small flowering plants show their bloom in the summer.

  • Wind blown cotton grass
    Grasses and Sedges

    Grasses and sedges are one of the most abundant plant types in the Seward Peninsula.

  • Orange willows cover the landscape in autumn.
    Shrubs

    Willows and birch are common and abundant in the area.

  • A handful of blueberries hang from a twig.
    Wild Berries

    Many wild berries grow in the tundra.

  • A clump of moss.
    Mosses and Liverworts

    Mosses thrive in the wet tundra, where they draw their nutrients from the shallow ground.

  • Landscape with trees in the background.
    Trees

    Trees! You won't see many of them here.

 
Loading results...
     

    Last updated: October 3, 2018

    Park footer

    Contact Info

    Mailing Address:

    P.O. Box 220

    Nome, AK 99762

    Phone:

    907-443-2522

    Contact Us