Alpine Biome Essay

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The Alpine biome is a beautiful, but treacherous area; the cold temperatures mean that the life there has to be tough to survive. Because plants reproduce so slowly in the frigid weather, it is also a very fragile biome. The Alpine Biome is located between 10,000 feet and snow level on the mountains. There are not many species of plants that can survive the climate conditions of this biome. The temperature ranges from 50 to 60 degrees in the summer and drop below freezing in the winter. Winters are very long, lasting from October to May. Rainfall averages about 11 to 12 inches a year. Because of these cold temperatures, poor and rocky soil and low CO2 levels, plants have a hard time surviving and must adapt. The plants that do last here are ones that grow close to the ground like shrubs, wildflowers, mosses, bear grass, and lichen. Most of the plants here are slow to reproduce as well. The only taller plants that thrive here are trees like the pines and firs. The Animals in this biome must be sturdy as well to handle the severe conditions. The animals in the alpine biome are usually the warm blooded animals which accumulate layers of fat to insulate their bodies. The insects and some, very few cold blooded animals are usually hibernating or living under ground (Global Environment). This area has animals such as alpaca, mountain goats, chinchillas, condors, various insects, wolves, and arctic fox. Alpine biomes occupy high-mountain summits, ridges, and slopes above timberline. Because the alpine zone is present only on mountains, much of the landscape is rugged and broken, with rocky, snowcapped peaks, cliffs, and talus slopes, but also contains areas of gently rolling to almost flat topography (Biomes of the World). In all, the Alpine Biomes are gorgeous areas in spite of the harsh climates. The plants and animals here are well adapted for the

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