Alpine Biome

By: T. Kim

General Information

• Similar to tundra/artic biomes– High mountain areas: 10,000 ft+– Average temperature

• Summer: 10-15 C• Winter: Below freezing

– Limiting Factors: several temperature, lack of CO2, high UV wavelengths, etc.

– Precipitation: 30 cm/year

Species Diversity

• Plant life- Growing season is about 180 days, and the soil is well-drained.– Tussock grasses, dwarf trees, small-

leafed shrubs, heaths

• Animals- only warm-blooded animals can be found– Mountain goats, sheep, elk, insects

including beetles, grasshoppers, and butterflies.

Food Chain

People in the Alpines

• Populations in the alpine biome are specially adapted to the living conditions– Larger lung capacity– More hemoglobin in blood

• The Sherpas are the world’s highest living population

A. Blake

Temperature:

summer: -12 to 10 degrees Celsius

winter: below freezing temperatures

Precipitation: 12 inches each year

Solar Insolation: 2 seasons

winter: October to May

summer: June to September

extreme cold and wind

high altitude

Little carbon dioxide

Strong sunlight

high UV exposure

Limiting Factors

Tussock grasses

Dwarf trees

Small-leafed shrubs

heaths

Plants

AnimalsChinchilla

Snowshoe rabbit

Ptarmigan

Mountain goat

Sheep

Elk

Beetle

Grasshopper

Butterfly

pika

                                                         

      

Heat

Heat

Heat

Heat

Heat