Alpine Biome

The alpine biome is full of cold weather, snow, and mountains. Crevases, mountains, valleys, sheets of vertical ice, and a constant change of altitude seperate the alpine biome from all other biomes. The alpine biome sometimes also has less oxygen in the air because of its high altitude. The snow leopard is the main predator in the alpine biome. Unlike other leopards, it can live and survive up in high altitudes where the whether is usually below freezing. It has a thick, long layer of fur. However, it is smaller in size and has white, gray, and tannish-yellow fur. Because of its fur color, it is able to camoflauge into the snow and rocks. The Himalayan black bear also lives in the Himalayas and preys on small mammals like the snow leopard. However, it does not use camoflauge because its fur is black and dark brown. Unlike other bears, it is small, but has thicjk fur to keep warm in cold temperatures. They live at 10,000 feet above sea level during the Winter, but descend down to 5,000 feet above water level during the Summer. The Himalayan Black Bear is able to survive more easily than the snow leopard because it is omnivorous and eats berries as well as small mammals. A variation of the wild strawberry lives up in the alpine biome. They spread quickly and are able to withstand colder temperatures than other variations of strawberries. The alpine phacelia also lives in the alpine biome. Unlike other flowers, it can grow on woodsy and rocky land. It is also able to grow at a height of 9,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level.

The alpine biome is found all over the world. It is located on the West Coast of America and South America. The alpine biome is throughout he middle and the northern part of Europe. Mountains are on the border of China, Bhutan, Nepal and India in Asia. In Africa, mountains are in Tanzania and South Africa.

Humans have harmed the alpine biome. With global warming, the ice caps on mountains are melting, causing avalanches that wipe out herds of animals. Global warming is also causing the temperatures at in the mountains to rise forcing animals to move up to a higher altitude. Deforestation causes animals to abandon their homes in the trees and move somewhere else. But as the animals leave their homes and move up the mountains, their habitat shrinks, until there is nothing left. Global warming also causes mountains to receive less snow. This reduces the amount of available water for animals to drink. In conclusion, humans have negatively impacted the alpine biome.