Tundra and the Permafrost Constraint
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State
Tundra occurs at the highest latitudes and elevations, where a short growing season and permafrost, permanently frozen subsurface soil, limit vegetation to low, shallow-rooted plants.
Show
Tundra vegetation stays low and shallow-rooted because roots cannot penetrate the permafrost beneath the thin thawed surface.
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Permafrost thaw depth, not temperature alone, constrains tundra plant form — deeper-rooted plants cannot establish.