Virtual Expedition: Islands in the Sky

In the United States, alpine environments located above the trees on mountain peaks provide important habitat for Arctic tundra plants. Unique species grow under extreme conditions within these isolated “islands in the sky” which are rarely found elsewhere south of the Arctic Circle. To understand how alpine plants are responding and adapting to their rapidly changing climate, The New York Botanical Garden and Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) have teamed up with citizen scientists around the world to track geographic distributions and seasonal changes in these species. Anyone with a computer and access to the internet can participate in this research by helping to collect data from alpine plant specimens recorded throughout history!

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