Composition of Fatty Acids in Lipids of Higher Vascular Plants of the Arctic Tundra of Western Spitsbergen

The fractional composition of fatty acids (FAs) of lipids was studied, and the main directions of their participation in structural and functional adaptations in dominant and rare species of higher vascular plants of the Arctic tundra of Western Spitsbergen were identified. Differences in the size and variability of FA composition by fraction were revealed: from 25 to 76% for glycolipids, 10–28% for phospholipids, and 7–57% for neutral lipids. A relationship has been established between the fatty acid composition of different lipid fractions and the “species activity” indicator in plants of different geographical origins and ecology. The main directions of adaptation associated with the lipid component in Arctic plants include the participation of saturated and unsaturated FAs in different proportions depending on the ecological and geographical characteristics of the species. A diversity of very long chain FAs was noted in the fractional fatty acid composition of lipids in all Arctic plants. In both adaptive strategies, “avoidance” and “adaptation,” the lipid component is actively involved, which ensures the appropriate functional activity of the species and its representation in the Arctic tundra of Western Spitsbergen.