Mountain and Alpine Tundra

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Mountain and Alpine Tundra
Mountain and Alpine Tundra
By Rob G and Kelsey B

• Rob Gregory
• Kelsey Burgess

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Map of Mountain/Alpine Tundra Biomes
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What is the Mountain and Alpine Tundra Biome?

• Mountains make up 20 of the earth
• They are places where dramatic changes in
  altitude, climate, soil and vegetation take place
  over a short distance
• Alpine tundra is the area above the coniferous
  tree life but under the snow caps of the
  mountains

(Wikipedia)
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Average Temperature and Precip

• The Mountain/alpine biome is one of the coldest
  biomes in the world
• Temperature Range -18 C to 10 C (-2 F to
  50F)
• Average Annual Precipitation 23 cm (9 in.)

(Miller)
(Alpine)
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Limiting Factors Controlling Climate

• Cold Temperature
• Lack of Sunlight
• High Winds
• Long Winters, Short Summers

(Alpine)
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• Flora (plants)
• Alpine Phacelia
• Bear Grass
• Bristlecone Pine
• Moss Campion
• Polylepis Forest
• Pygmy Bitterroot
• Wild Potato
• Grasses
• Mosses
• Dwarf woody shrubs

(Alpine)
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• Why these plants?
• Adapted to
• -lack of sunlight and water
• -freezing temperatures
• -constant high winds
• Most of the annual growth occurs in the 6-8 weeks
  of summer when there is the most sunlight
• For a few weeks, the land blazes with color
  (wildflowers)

(Alpine)
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• Special Adaptations
• Grow close to the ground to retain water and
  survive the winter cold
• Some have leathery evergreen leaves coated by
  waxes that reduce heat loss
• Others survive underground (roots, stems, bulbs,
  tubers)

(Alpine)
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Fauna (animals)

• Alpaca
• Andean Condor
• Chinchilla
• Llama
• Mountain Goat
• Snow Leopard
• Vicuña
• Yak

• Elk
• Sheep
• Golden Eagles
• Marmots
• Ground Squirrels

(Alpine)
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Why these animals/special adaptations

• They have thick coats of fur (Alpaca, Chinchilla,
  Snow leopard, Vicuña, Yak etc.)
• Some have feathers to keep warm (condor)
• Some animals have more red blood cells to adapt
  to the poor oxygen in higher altitudes (Llama)
• Hooves adapted to slopes help flexibility
  (Goat)
• Fur blends in nasal cavities help breathe (snow
  leopard)
• Yaks digestive track helps keep them warm

(Alpine)
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Biomass Pyramid
Bio Diversity Index 2.9
Carnivores such as Snow leopard, Condor, Golden
Eagles
Herbivores such as Alpaca, Llama, goat, sheep
All plants grasses, mosses, shrubs
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References

• Elisabeth M. Benders-Hyde (2000). Alpine.
  Retrieved October 18, from Blue Planet Biomes
• WebSitehttp//www.blueplanetbiomes.org/alpine.ht
  m
• Miller, G. Tyler. Living in the Environment. 12th
  ed. Belmont Brooks/Cole, 2001.
• www.wikipedia.org