In which biome is life limited and temperatures rarely exceed freezing?

The polar or permafrost biome is characterized by extremely low temperatures where life is significantly limited. In this environment, temperatures often remain at or below freezing for most of the year, creating conditions that are inhospitable for many forms of life. The layer of permanently frozen soil, known as permafrost, prevents the growth of most plant species, except for specially adapted ones like mosses and lichens. This biome has very short growing seasons, which further limits the flora and fauna that can thrive there.

While the tundra biome also exhibits cold temperatures and limited life, the polar or permafrost biome specifically refers to areas with permanently frozen ground, emphasizing the extreme conditions that contribute to the significant limitation of life. The taiga, or boreal forest, supports more biodiversity and has milder temperatures compared to the polar regions. The desert biome, on the other hand, is characterized by low precipitation and can have high temperatures, contrasting sharply with the freezing conditions of the polar biome. Therefore, the unique cold and permanently frozen characteristics of the polar or permafrost biome make it the correct choice for identifying an area where life is limited and temperatures rarely exceed freezing.