Bd. IV: 12) THE VEGETATION IX SOUTH GEORGIA. S 



The climate in South Georgia is of the same general type as that of Tierra 

 del Fuego (W and S of the Andes) and the Falkland Islands. The tempera- 

 tures are lower, but at the same time the differences between the seasons less pro- 

 nounced. However, there is certainly more of a winter's rest than in Tierra del 

 Fuego, and the presence of a snow-cover, lasting for weeks or months also gives 

 to South Georgia a winter aspect different from that of the Falklands. The atmos- 

 pheric precipitation is very equally distributed. There are no marked periods, 

 though perhaps the amount is somewhat smaller in winter. Snow very often falls 

 even in summer, but of course generally melts immediately. 



Gales are very frequent, as in the whole subantarctic zone. Besides, our island 

 is, or ought to be, famous for its local, hurricane-like Föhn-winds, rushing down 

 without a warning from the great glaciers and sweeping through the fjords with a 

 violence sufficient to carry moderate-sized stones over the level ground. 



Thus South Georgia has a short, very cold summer, during which snowstorms 

 are frequent, a long winter with much snow, but now and then interrupted by a 

 short period of »summer»-weather. 



Even in Tierra del Fuego, the arboreous vegetation has a very hard struggle 

 for life; on the windward side of thç small islands fringing it towards the Pacific 

 there are no trees or even bushes, except of a stunted growth, but the vegetation is 

 a kind of tundra, though mostly composed of other species than in South Georgia, 

 and the Andine cushion-plants give it a peculiar physiognomy. These patches of 

 tundra close up on the Falkland Islands, where there is no arboreous vegetation at 

 all and even brushword is scarce. It has been proved, that lack of shelter in a 

 climate characterised by low air- and soiltemperatures is sufficient reason for the 

 nonexistence of forests. 



Naturally, the class of precipitation is of very great importance. South Georgia 

 recieves ist mostly as snow and then enters the question how much of the sub- 

 stantial snow-cover, accumulated during the winter, the sun and summer heat are 

 able to melt during the spring. It is evident that, in a place so little favoured, the 

 exposure towards the different points of the compass will play a very important 

 part in the distribution of plants. The difference between N and S slopes is often 

 enormous, as will be seen by examples given below. In this connection I must also 

 remark that, as a result of the prevailing winds, more snow is accumulated on the 

 W and S slopes, which at the same time are less favoured by sunshine. Consi- 

 derable snowdrifts may remain on such places throughout nearly the whole year. 



Another question of great importance is also the distribution of the snow-cover 

 during the winter. In many places, the snow is carried away by the gales — thus 

 the moraine-plains in Cumberland Bay along the Moraine Fjord as well as in the 

 West Fjord are swept by strong winds and probably often laid bare, which fact 



