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