Colorado Life Zones

Colorado Life Zones

1.2.3.4.6.5.PrairieAlpineFoothillsSubalpineMontaneRiparian

1This first slide introduces the Colorado life zones. Ask students to point out differences between the life zones: the prairie life zone does not have any trees or shrubs; the foothills life zone is partially forested; the montane life zone has a variety of vegetation; the subalpine life zone is completely forested with coniferous trees; and the alpine life zone has snow and only small plants.Foothills5,500 8,000 ft.Plains 3,500 5,500 ft. Montane8,000 10,000 ft.Sub alpine10,000 11,500 ft.RiparianAlpine 11,500 +ft.Colorado Life Zones2This slide gives the students an idea of where each life zone is located in relation to elevation. As elevation increases, temperature decreases. This is due to adiabatic processes, where temperature drops because of the decrease in atmospheric pressure at higher altitudes. When pressure drops, air expands and molecules of air are doing work as they expand. As energy is expended in expanding, heat is lost, and temperature decreases.

Influences on the Life ZonesElevationClimate Soils (Dirt)ThreatsAnimals Plants Food Web3These are the different categories of information that will be discussed throughout the presentation for each life zone. It is a chance to get the students familiarized with what you will be talking about. Reiterate how elevation affects temperature and climate which in turn affect soils, animals, plants, the food web and can alter threats.

Foothills Life Zone4First slide for the foothills. Tell the students that the foothills are smaller than mountains but taller than most hills. Point out that the foothills are forested in some areas, but not densely. Foothills5,500 8,000 ft.Prairie / grasslands3,500 5,500 ft. Montane8,000 10,000 ft.Sub alpine10,000 11,500 ft.RiparianAlpine 11,500 +ft.Foothills Life Zone5This slide gives students an idea of where each life zone is located in relation to elevation. Focus on the foothills life zone and how it is higher than the prairie life zone but lower than others. As it is higher in elevation than the prairie life zone, it is also colder than the prairie.

What Is It Like In The Foothills?ClimateWeather is always changing! Rain falls during Spring and Fall, and some snow falls in Winter. TemperatureGeographySoilsSoils are sandy and have lots of broken up rock left there from glaciers Summer temperatures can be HOT, up to 100 degrees, and winters can be cold, down to 20 degrees. BRRR!Located just upslope from the plains. They are smaller than mountains, but taller than most hills! 6The climate in the foothills is always changing, with rain in the Spring and Fall, some snow in the Winter, and hot temperatures in the summer. Reiterate that foothills are smaller than mountains, but taller than most hills. The soil in the foothills life zone are sandy and more rocky than the prairie life zone.How Tall Are The Trees In The Foothills?Plains

MontaneAlpine

Foothills

Riparian

7This is a good way to remind the students of what life zone they are in. The foothills have some tall trees and shrubs and grass in the under story. What kinds of plants grow in the Foothills??8Ask the question to students to have them better interact with the presentation.

SagebrushGambel Oak or Scrub Oak

Ball CactusJunegrassPrickly Pear Cactus

9Gambel Oaks leaves turn red and orange in the fall. Many plants sprout out of the same root system. Because the roots spread out horizontally beneath the soil, they can efficiently capture the moisture that falls on the ground. Sagebrush has a pleasant odor. Junegrass is a cool season grass, which means that it grows during the spring and is dormant in late summer. The thick flesh of cactus plants is efficient at storing water.

Ponderosa Pine

10Fire is a very important factor for the health of the foothills zone. Fire removes understory shrubs and vegetation. Ponderosa pine is adapted to survive low intensity ground fires because it has thick, scaly bark that can fall of as flakes during a fire and does not have any low branches. Notice how the fire remains on the ground and trunk of the trees, not in the crown. What kinds of animals live in the Foothills??11Ask the question to students.

ElkElk live mostly at higher elevations, but in the winter they can move into the foothills12The next few slides are plants and animals and it is a chance to just talk again about distinguishable characteristics, adaptations or traits. Elk are very gregarious animals, living in herds of up to 400 individuals. Bull elk herd separately but older bulls assemble harems of up to 60 females during breeding season. Male elk bugle or "whistle," which is a challenge to other bulls and a call of domination to cows; this vocalization begins as a bellow, changes almost immediately to a loud, shrill whistle or scream, and ends with a series of grunts. The whistle can be heard from a far distance from the bull elk. Male elk use their antlers to joust with other bulls to defend breeding rights with females, but injury is rare. Elk primarily feed on grass but will eat other plants.

There are many deer in the foothills.

This is a mule deer. Mule DeerHow can you can tell?By its big ears!13Emphasize that mule deer are distinguished by their big ears. Mule deer does often fight, so family groups (a dos with her fawns and yearlings) usually space themselves out widely. Male mule deer have antlers and will fight for females, but major injury is rare. Mountain lions, bears, cayotes and wolves are predators of mule deer. Mule deer feed on mainly plants in the summer and woody twigs in the winter.

A worksheet question is based on this slide.3. How can you tell a mule deer from other animals in the foothills life zone?Mule deer have big ears.

These animals can adapt very well to human environments. That is why you see them living near cities.FoxCoyote

RaccoonsCoyotes, foxes and raccoons all live in the foothills.

14This is also a good chance to talk about adaptations and human wildlife interactions. Foxes, raccoons, coyotes and bears will eat food scraps in trash created by humans and adapt well to urban and suburban environments. Also, as mule deer move into human inhabited areas, cougars often come along with them and end up eating house pets.

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.

Mountain Lion15Mountain lions are at the top of the food chain and are carnivores. Discuss that mountain lions need large territories because they hunt big mammals such as elk that use large territories and migrate. Also, sometimes it waits for passing game, but more often it travels widely after prey; a male may cover up to 25 miles (40 km) in one night. Mountain lions feeds primarily on large mammals, especially deer, but also eat coyotes, porcupines, beavers, mice, marmots, hares, raccoons, birds, and even grasshoppers.

Lizards

Ladybugs eat other bugs that kill plants. They help keep the foothills healthy!

Great Horned Owl16This slide has animals that the students might not think about, but be interested in. The Great Horned Owl preys on a wide variety of creatures, including grouse and rabbits as well as beetles, lizards, frogs, and birds, including crows, ducks, other owls, and even skunks. Great horned owls live on the prairie and in cities. There is a pair that live on the CSU campus.It is one of the first birds to nest, laying its eggs as early as late January, even when there is still snow on the ground. Lizards are a source of prey for the Great Horned Owl. Ladybugs are very important insects because they eat other bugs that kill plants. Ladybugs help plants and all other life in the foothills life zone by controlling populations of plant-eating insects.