the formation of glacial ice on their tops, although snow can accumulate on them. This can contrast strongly with the softer contours of the glacially eroded land after a glacier retreats. They are not greatly affected by frost weathering, given the low frequency of freeze-thaw cycles in areas of ice caps and ice sheets.

Typically nunataks are the only places where plant life can survive on ice sheets or ice caps. Lifeforms on nunataks are often isolated by the surrounding ice or glacier, providing