1.
Prairie
Colorado
Life Zones
4.
5.
Subalpine
2.
Foothills
6.
Riparian
Alpine
3.
Montane
Colorado Life Zones
Alpine
11,500 +ft.
Sub alpine
10,000 – 11,500 ft.
Montane
8,000 – 10,000 ft.
Foothills
5,500 – 8,000 ft.
Plains
3,500 – 5,500 ft.
Riparian
Influences on the Life Zones
•
•
•
•
Elevation
Climate
Soils (Dirt)
Threats
•Animals
•Plants
•Food Web
PRAIRIE / GRASSLANDS
Plains Life Zone
Alpine
11,500 +ft.
Sub alpine
10,000 – 11,500 ft.
Montane
8,000 – 10,000 ft.
Foothills
5,500 – 8,000 ft.
Plains
3,500 – 5,500 ft.
Riparian
What Is It Like On The Prairie?
Rainfall
Less than mountains, more than desert
Temperature
Cold in winter, hot in summer
Geography
East side of the mountains
Soils
Very fertile, plants grow easily with
deep roots
Canopy Height
Montane
Alpine
Foothills
Plains
Riparian
?
What kinds of plants
grow on the Prairie?
Buffalo Grass
Blue
Grama
Needle &
Thread Grass
Can you think of the kinds of
ADAPTATIONS that help these plants
grow in the hot and dry climate of the
prairie?
Yucca
?
What kinds of animals
live on the Prairie?
The Lark Bunting
The Colorado state bird !
Hawks and Eagles
Predators in the sky look for
food below.
Who is their prey?
Prairie Dogs
& Pups
Burrowing
Owl
“prairie dog
owl”
Swift Fox
Swift Fox Kits
Coyote
Kangaroo Rat
American Bison
Pronghorn or Antelope
Notice how well this horned lizard
blends in with its surroundings.
Prairie Rattlesnake
The Food Chain
Who eats Whom?
red-tailed
hawk
snake
kangaroo rat
grass
The kangaroo rat will eat the grass.
The snake will eat the kangaroo rat.
The red-tailed hawk will then eat the snake.
Foothills Life Zone
Foothills Life Zone
Alpine
11,500 +ft.
Sub alpine
10,000 – 11,500 ft.
Montane
8,000 – 10,000 ft.
Foothills
5,500 – 8,000 ft.
Prairie / grasslands
3,500 – 5,500 ft.
Riparian
What Is It Like In The Foothills?
Climate
Weather is always changing! Rain falls
during Spring and Fall, and some snow
falls in Winter.
Temperature
Summer temperatures can be HOT, up to
100 degrees, and winters can be cold,
down to 20 degrees. BRRR!
Geography
Located just upslope from the plains.
They are smaller than mountains, but
taller than most hills!
Soils
Soils are sandy and have lots of broken
up rock left there from glaciers
How Tall Are The Trees In The
Foothills?
Montane
Alpine
Foothills
Plains
Riparian
?
What kinds of plants
grow in the Foothills?
Sagebrush
Gambel Oak or Scrub Oak
Junegrass
Ball Cactus
Prickly Pear Cactus
Ponderosa
Pine
?
What kinds of animals
live in the Foothills?
Elk
Elk live mostly at higher elevations, but in the
winter they can move into the foothills
Mule Deer
There are
many deer in
the foothills.
This is a
mule deer.
How can you can tell?
By its big ears!
Coyotes, foxes and raccoons all live in the foothills.
Fox
Raccoons
Coyote
These animals can adapt very well to human environments.
That is why you see them living near cities.
Mountain Lion
Mountain lions are important
predators in the food web.
They hunt deer and small elk
as well as other small animals.
Mountain lions have a territory
of up to 500 sq. miles! Do you
know why their territory is so
big?
They are losing their homes
because so many people are
building houses in the foothills.
Great Horned Owl
Ladybugs eat other bugs that kill plants.
They help keep the foothills healthy!
Lizards
Montane Life Zone
Montane Life Zone
Alpine
11,500 +ft.
Sub alpine
10,000 – 11,500 ft.
Montane
8,000 – 10,000 ft.
Foothills
5,500 – 8,000 ft.
Plains
3,500 – 5,500 ft.
Riparian
What Is It Like In The
Montane?
Climate
Snow falls in late fall and winter,
thunderstorms in summer, more rain
than foothills. Warmer than alpine.
Temperature
Stays near freezing (24-32 F) in the
winter, warm in the summer (70-78 F)
Geography
Located between foothills and
subalpine. This zone supports many
types of plant and animal habitats.
Soils
Deep soils in flat meadows help grasses
and shrubs grow. Trees grow better in
less wet, more rocky soils on the slopes
of the valleys.
How Tall Are The Trees In The
Montane?
Alpine
Montane
Foothills
Plains
Riparian
?
What kinds of plants
grow in the Montane?
Douglas Fir
•Found in wet upper montane zone
•Flat needles, cones have “mouse tails”
•Rough Bark
•Strong, Hard Wood – Good for Construction
•Bears like to scrape the bark and eat sap
Lodgepole
Pine
Aspen Trees
•Trees lose their leaves in the fall
•Very Fertile Soils Beneath Aspen
•Leaves “quake” or “tremble” in the
wind
•Most trees in an area are from one
root.
•Grows well after fire
Columbine
State flower of Colorado!
Indian
Paintbrush
?
What kinds of animals
live in the Montane?
Golden mantled ground squirrel
How does the golden mantled ground squirrel survive
the long, cold winters in its Montane habitat?
Black Bears
Black bear dens
ELK
Can you tell the difference between the antlers?
Willows
Aspen
Some of their favorite
foods are willow and
aspen bark.
Gray Jay
Stellar’s Jay
Subalpine Life Zone
Subalpine Life Zone
Alpine
11,500 +ft.
Subalpine
10,000 – 11,500 ft.
Montane
8,000 – 10,000 ft.
Foothills
5,500 – 8,000 ft.
Plains
3,500 – 5,500 ft.
Riparian
What Is It Like In The Subalpine?
Climate
Winter is LONG and summer is SHORT.
Snow begins in early fall and stays until
early summer in the shade of the forest.
Temperature
Stays below freezing (18-24 F) in the
winter, a little cooler than the Montane
Zone in the summer (62-78 F)
Geography
Located between montane and alpine.
This zone is mostly forested with some
meadows.
Soils
Deep soils in flat meadows help grasses
and shrubs grow. Trees grow better in
less wet, more rocky soils on the slopes
of the valleys.
?
What kinds of plants
grow in the Subalpine?
Lodgepole
Pine
Limber
Pine
Engelmann
Spruce
Subalpine
Fir
There are 4 different trees in the Subalpine
What adaptation do all these trees have in
common?
?
What kinds of animals
live in the Subalpine?
Chipmunks
Marten
Porcupine
• Eats plants during
summer and eats tree
bark in the winter
time
• They have between 15,000
and 30,000 quills
• Nocturnal animal
•Good swimmer – quills keep it
afloat!
• It cannot throw its quills!
Snowshoe Hare
Why does the Snowshoe Hare change
colors with the seasons?
Bighorn
Sheep
Toads &
Frogs
Trout live in the
small streams.
Food Web In The Subalpine
Plants eaten by small
Animals.
Coyote eats the
rabbits
Coyote eats the
weasel
Weasels eat the
rabbits
Alpine Life Zone
Alpine Life Zone
Alpine
11,500 +ft.
Subalpine
10,000 – 11,500 ft.
Montane
8,000 – 10,000 ft.
Foothills
5,500 – 8,000 ft.
Plains
3,500 – 5,500 ft.
Riparian
What Is It Like In The Alpine?
Climate
Coldest Life Zone with VERY strong winds.
12-20 inches of snow falls per year. Snow
gets moved around by the winds.
Temperature
Around freezing every night of the
year.
Geography
Highest life zone. Located above
subalpine and above treeline.
Soils
Very shallow soils. Soils are mostly made
up of rocks and plant roots.
?
What kinds of plants
grow in the Alpine?
Plants of the Alpine zone are small in size and
hug the ground.
This is so they are
protected from the
cold temperatures,
snow and strong winds!
?
What kinds of animals
live in the Alpine?
Picas are farmers!
Yellow-bellied Marmot
Ptarmagins change
colors like the
snowshoe rabbits.
Who are these
ptarmagins
hiding from?
Alpine Food Web
Riparian Life Zone
Riparian Life Zone
Alpine
11,500 +ft.
Subalpine
10,000 – 11,500 ft.
Montane
8,000 – 10,000 ft.
Foothills
5,500 – 8,000 ft.
Plains
3,500 – 5,500 ft.
Riparian
What Is It Like In The Riparian?
Climate
Similar to the surrounding landscape.
Temperature
Usually cooler than the surrounding
landscape.
Geography
Located around running waters, usually
in low areas on the landscape.
Soils
Mostly composed of sand and gravel that
is created by tumbling rocks in the water.
Near the banks, the soil is usually wet
and will support plants that like wet soils.
?
What kinds of plants
grow in the Riparian?
Cattails
Sedges
Alder
Willow
Cottonwood
?
What kinds of animals
live in the Riparian?
Moose
River otter
Blue heron
Dragonfly
Wood frog
Beaver – the
“ecosystem
engineer”
It lives in lodges in streams and ponds with its mate for life and 3-4 kits.
It is the largest rodent in North America.
It can use its big tail as a rudder while swimming.
It has really long, dark orange front teeth that help gnaw down trees.
When Europeans first settled they killed beavers for their fur.
Riparian Food Web
Bats
Insects
lizards
river otter
Insects
fish
aquatic
insects
Dead
Leaves
1.
Prairie
Colorado
Life Zones
4.
5.
Subalpine
2.
Foothills
6.
Riparian
Alpine
3.
Montane