Altitudinal Biomes

Variations in climatic conditions are observed not only in places on different latitudes but also with altitude. The various types of biomes can also be noted with varying altitudes as seen in the slopes of high Himalayan mountains in Asia, Andes in South America and the Rockies in North America.

On mountain slopes, the horizontal sequence of biomes extending latitudinally are compacted altitudinally into few thousand metres.

From the base of the mountain to the snow line the sequence of biomes arranged are:

i) Tropical or Terai forests

ii) Deciduous forests

iii) Coniferous forests

iv) Tundra.Temperature and the rate of precipitation (rainfall or snowfall) are the important determinants of the biomes.

The high mountains in temperate regions do not have tropical forests at the base. Instead they begin with temperate deciduous forests, followed by temperate forests and tundra.

The low altitude mountains devoid of snow caps do not possess tundra.

Thus the number of biomes found on a mountain depends upon its altitude and height.