Mountain and Alpine
Tundra
Mountain and Alpine
Tundra
By: Rob G and
Kelsey B
Rob Gregory
Kelsey Burgess
Map of Mountain/Alpine Tundra
Biomes
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)
Average Temperature and Precip
► The
Mountain/alpine
biome is one of the
coldest biomes in the
world (Miller)
► Temperature
Range: -18 °C to 10
°C (-2 °F to 50°F)
► Average Annual
Precipitation: 23 cm
(9 in.)
(Alpine)
Limiting Factors Controlling Climate
► Cold
Temperature
► Lack of Sunlight
► High Winds
► Long Winters, Short
Summers
(Alpine)
Flora (plants)
•Alpine Phacelia
•Bear Grass
•Bristlecone Pine
•Moss Campion
•Polylepis Forest
•Pygmy Bitterroot
•Wild Potato
•Grasses
•Mosses
•Dwarf woody shrubs
(Alpine)
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)
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)
Fauna (animals)
•Alpaca
• Elk
•Andean Condor
•Sheep
•Chinchilla
•Golden Eagles
•Llama
•Marmots
•Mountain Goat
•Ground Squirrels
•Snow Leopard
•Vicuña
•Yak
(Alpine)
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)
•Yak’s digestive track helps keep them warm
(Alpine)
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
References
► Elisabeth
M. Benders-Hyde (2000). Alpine.
Retrieved October 18, from Blue Planet
Biomes
WebSite:http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/
alpine.htm
 Miller,
G. Tyler. Living in the Environment.
12th ed. Belmont: Brooks/Cole, 2001.
 www.wikipedia.org