QUESTION:  
How can plants not live on the snow but in cold water?"

        From Miss Petterson's 4th grade Class, Challenger Elementary 
        School, Thief River Falls, Minnesota

ANSWER from Chris Ruhland,  Palmer Station, Antarctica
Date:          Sat, 8 Feb 1997 12:05:18 -0500

Actually the plants that do live down here can survive under the 
snow.  Most of the winter snow on the islands surrounding Palmer 
Station melts away during the summer, leaving exposed rocks and 
in some places soil.  In the winter, the snow provides an "insulating 
blanket" on top of the plants, which go dormant for the season.  It's 
probably a very similar situation to Minnesota.  The grass in your 
front yard gets covered by snow every winter, but when it melts the 
next year, the grass comes back.  The leaves may die, but the plant 
is still alive and waiting for warmer weather and sunshine so it can 
grow new leaves.  The "higher" plants in Antarctica are also special 
because they can grow and photosynthesize at temperatures that are 
below freezing, this is something that plants from warmer climates 
cannot do.  
    
Plants that grow in the water down here are actually what we call 
"lower" plants. In other words, they are different types of alage 
and/or phytoplankton.  They rely on sunlight for growth, but are not 
considered true plants per se. 

Thanks for your question!
Chris