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The Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map (CAVM) shows the types of vegetation that occur across the Arctic, between the ice-covered Arctic Ocean to the north and the northern limit of forests to the south. Environmental and climatic conditions are extreme, with a short growing season and low summer temperatures. The region supports plants such as dwarf shrubs, herbs, lichens and mosses, which grow close to the ground. As one moves southward (outward from map's center in all directions), the amount of warmth available for plant growth increases considerably. Warmer summer temperatures cause the size, abundance, and variety of plants to increase. Climate and other environmental controls, such as landscape, topography, soil chemistry, soil moisture, and the available plants that historically colonized an area, also influence the distribution of plant communities.