The Strange Arctic Landscape of Devon Island
by Kaleab Afeworki, age 13
Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island in the world. It is more than five times the size of Hawaii. This island is located in the Canadian Arctic.
Devon Island has two environments that are vastly different. The first environment, the polar desert, has a harsh climate that animals are unable to adapt to. However, there are tiny parts of this biome where there are richer ecosystems, more plants covering the area, and accessible water. The temperature on the island ranges from -16°C (3.2°F) in the winter to 8°C (46.4°F) in the summer. These rare areas, while typically dry, contain moisture throughout the summer.
The other environment on Devon Island is called Truelove Lowland. This polar oasis is located on the north coast of Devon Island. This biome contains a large variety of plants, a more diverse ecosystem than the polar desert, and has a rich habitat that different species can live in. During the summer, this biome rarely exceeds temperatures over 10°C (50°F) in a span of under two months. [Read More]