How do plants and bugs and such survive the cold season?
Plants, insects, and life in the soil face challenges in winter.
Trees
During winter, tree roots greatly reduce their activity but do remain active. Many evergreen plants retain their leaves, adapting to cold conditions with waxy coated needles and flexible limbs for snowfall. Winter is a crucial time for deciduous trees however, as they go through dormancy, where trees slow down their metabolic activity. They shed their leaves as a strategy to conserve water and energy, as the process of photosynthesis is less efficient in colder months.
Frost and freezing temperatures can damage tree tissues, especially if there are rapid temperature changes. Additionally, winter drought, caused by frozen ground preventing water uptake, can impact trees.
Plant Pests
Some species seek shelter in plant tissues. Some overwinter as eggs, larvae, or pupae in protected locations like leaf litter or soil. Some insects hibernate, slowing down their metabolism, while others produce antifreeze-like chemicals to endure cold temperatures.
Ticks
These are still active in winter except when temperatures are below freezing, when they enter a state of dormancy to conserve energy. They may seek shelter in leaf litter or soil. Ticks may also attach themselves to hosts, like small mammals or birds, to feed and remain active during winter.
Soil Microbes
As temperatures drop and soil moisture decreases, certain bacteria, fungi, and protozoa enter a state of reduced metabolic activity until conditions become more favorable for growth and reproduction. Despite reduced activity, some cold-adapted microbes remain active even in low temperatures, contributing to essential soil processes.
This dormancy allows microbes to endure the challenges of winter and resume their vital roles in soil ecosystems when conditions improve. It’s also how fungal and bacterial diseases survive winter, usually as spores in the soil or on old leaves. This explains why new leaves in spring may become infected as well.