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Biome

Alpine

Also Known As Alpine Tundra
Desert and Tundra Biomes
Alpine

The alpine biome occupies the high-elevation zone of mountains worldwide, beginning just below the permanent snow line and running down to the tree line. Despite lying at temperate and even tropical latitudes, its short, cold summers and long freezing winters produce conditions that parallel arctic tundra, and only a few hundred cold-hardy, low-growing plant species survive its thin air, intense sunlight and battering winds.

Facts
Climate
Annual Precipitation (mm)
300 1
Representative average for alpine tundra generally; local precipitation varies substantially by mountain range and elevation.
Typical Low Temperature (C)
-18 1
Typical High Temperature (C)
15 2
Connections

Demonstrates

Marmots and other alpine mammals hibernate through the long, harsh winter above the tree line.

Source Alpine Biome (Blue Planet Biomes)

Home To

Alpine Marmot, Species
Source Alpine marmot, Wikipedia
Andean Condor, Species
Source Andean Condor (Wikipedia)
Beech marten, Species
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Martes foina (Animal Diversity Web)
Bighorn Sheep, Species
Source Bighorn Sheep (Wikipedia)
Source Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Wikipedia
Source Cerastium tomentosum (Wikipedia)
Chamois, Species
Source Chamois (Wikipedia)
Chinchilla, Species
Source Chinchilla (Wikipedia)
Common Wombat, Species
Source Common Wombat (Wikipedia)
Dhole, Species
Source Dhole (Wikipedia)
Eastern elk, Species
Source NatureServe Explorer: Cervus canadensis
Source The Gymnosperm Database: Picea engelmannii
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Ficedula hypoleuca (Animal Diversity Web)
Goldcrest, Species
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Regulus regulus (Animal Diversity Web)
Source Pinus longaeva (Wikipedia)
Guanaco, Species
Source Guanaco (Wikipedia)
Source NatureServe Explorer: Argyroxiphium sandwicense
Horse Fly, Species
Source Tabanidae
Indri, Species
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Indri indri (Animal Diversity Web)
Source Juniperus communis (Wikipedia)
Source Kea (Nestor notabilis) (Wikipedia)
Maca, Species
Source Plants For A Future: Lepidium meyenii
Markhor, Species
Source Markhor (Wikipedia)
Mayfly, Species
Source Wikipedia: Mayfly
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Ceratitis capitata
Source New Zealand rock wren (Wikipedia)
Parsley Fern, Species
Source Wikipedia: Cryptogramma crispa
Source Plantago maritima (Wikipedia)
Silversword, Species
Source NatureServe Explorer: Argyroxiphium sandwicense
Snow Leopard, Species
Source Snow Leopard (Wikipedia)
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Nasua nasua (Animal Diversity Web)
Spikemoss, Species
Source Selaginella - Wikipedia
Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Mydaus javanensis
Source NatureServe Explorer: Euphydryas chalcedona
Vicuña, Species
Source Vicuña (Wikipedia)
Western Toad, Species
Source Wikipedia: Western Toad
Weta, Species
Source Wētā - Wikipedia
Source NatureServe Explorer: Pinus albicaulis
Wild Yak, Species
Source Wild Yak (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Tundra Biome (Global Bioenergy)
Global Bioenergy
  • Alpine Tundra Climate section
    Winters are less severe than in the Arctic, with lows rarely dipping below -18 C (0 F).
  • Alpine Tundra Precipitation section
    Alpine tundra tends to receive more precipitation than the Arctic tundra, averaging 12 inches (30 cm) yearly.
2. Alpine Biome (Blue Planet Biomes)
Blue Planet Biomes
  • Introduction
    In the summer average temperatures range from 10 to 15° C .
  • In Category: Biomes, blueplanetbiomes.org/alpine.php, opening lines
    Cold, snowy, windy. When you hear those words they make you think of mountains.
  • Demonstrates: Hibernation, blueplanetbiomes.org/alpine.php, animal adaptations section
    Alpine animals adapt to the cold by hibernating, migrating to lower, warmer areas, or insulating their bodies with layers of fat.
View the Source
Guanaco (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHome To: GuanacoView the Source
Vicuña (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHome To: Vicuña, Distribution section
Quote, Home To: Vicuña, Distribution section
Vicuñas live at altitudes of 3,200 to 4,800 m (10,500-15,700 ft)
View the Source
Wikipedia: Cryptogramma crispa
Wikipedia
  • Home To: Parsley Fern, Wikipedia intro states: "Cryptogramma crispa, the parsley fern, is an Arctic-alpine species of fern native to Europe and parts of Asia. It produces separate sterile and fertile fronds"
  • Home To: Parsley Fern, Wikipedia intro: "Cryptogramma crispa, the parsley fern, is an Arctic-alpine species of fern native to Europe and parts of Asia. It produces separate sterile and fertile fronds"
View the Source
Chamois (Wikipedia)
  • Home To: Chamois, Wikipedia intro states: "The chamois (; French: [?amwa] ; Rupicapra rupicapra), or Alpine chamois, is a species of goat-antelope native to mountainous parts of Europe and Western Asia, from"
  • Home To: Chamois, Wikipedia intro: "The chamois (; French: [?amwa] ; Rupicapra rupicapra), or Alpine chamois, is a species of goat-antelope native to mountainous parts of Europe and Western Asia,..."
View the Source
Snow Leopard (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Snow Leopard, Wikipedia intro: "the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau to southern Siberia, Mongolia and western China. It inhabits alpine and subalpine zones at elevations of 3,000-4,500 m (9,..."View the Source
Selaginella - Wikipedia
Home To: Spikemoss, Wikipedia intro: "rs mostly in the tropical regions of the world, with a handful of species to be found in the arctic-alpine zones of both hemispheres. Fossils assignable to the..."View the Source
Kea (Nestor notabilis) (Wikipedia)
Home To: Kea (Nestor notabilis), Wikipedia intro: "tabilis) is a species of large parrot in the family Strigopidae that is endemic to the forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About 48..."View the Source
Cerastium tomentosum (Wikipedia)
Home To: Cerastium tomentosum, Wikipedia intro: "pecies of its genus by "tomentose" or felty foliage. It is a low, spreading perennial native to the alpine regions of central and southern Italy. The stems and..."View the Source
New Zealand rock wren (Wikipedia)
Home To: New Zealand rock wren, Wikipedia intro: "tinguish it from the unrelated rock wren of North America. The rock wren is currently restricted to alpine and subalpine areas of the South Island. It is a poor..."View the Source
Chinchilla (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Chinchilla, Wikipedia 'Chinchilla': live in colonies at high elevations up to 4,270 m in the AndesView the Source
Markhor (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Markhor, Wikipedia 'Markhor': native to mountain regions including the Karakoram and HimalayasView the Source
Andean Condor (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Andean Condor, Wikipedia 'Andean condor': found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coastsView the Source
Pinus longaeva (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Great Basin Bristlecone Pine, Wikipedia 'Pinus longaeva': found in the higher mountains of California, Nevada, and UtahView the Source
Bighorn Sheep (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Bighorn Sheep, Ecology
Quote, Home To: Bighorn Sheep, Ecology
Bighorn sheep inhabit alpine meadows, grassy mountain slopes, and foothill country near rugged, rocky cliffs and bluffs.
View the Source
Common Wombat (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Common Wombat, Distribution and habitat
Quote, Home To: Common Wombat, Distribution and habitat
They may be found in a variety of habitats including rainforest, eucalyptus forest, woodland, alpine grassland, and coastal areas.
View the Source
Dhole (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHome To: Dhole, Distribution and habitat
Quote, Home To: Dhole, Distribution and habitat
In India, Myanmar, Indochina, Indonesia and China, it prefers forested areas in alpine zones and is occasionally sighted in plains regions.
View the Source
Alpine marmot, Wikipedia
Home To: Alpine Marmot, Range and ecology
Quote, Home To: Alpine Marmot, Range and ecology
Alpine marmots prefer alpine meadows and high-altitude pastures, where colonies live in deep burrow systems situated in alluvial soil or rocky areas.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Mayfly
Home To: Mayfly, Conservation
Quote, Home To: Mayfly, Conservation
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species includes one mayfly: Tasmanophlebia lacuscoerulei, the large blue lake mayfly, which is a native of Australia and is listed as endangered because its alpine habitat is vulnerable to climate change.
View the Source
Tabanidae
Home To: Horse Fly, Distribution and habitat
Quote, Home To: Horse Fly, Distribution and habitat
They mostly occur in warm areas with suitable moist locations for breeding, but also occupy a wide range of habitats from deserts to alpine meadows.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Western Toad
WikipediaHome To: Western Toad, Habitat
Quote, Home To: Western Toad, Habitat
Suitable habitat includes blue oak (Quercus douglasii) savanna, gray pine-oak forest (Pinus sabiniana-Quercus spp.), mixed conifer forest, and alpine meadows.
View the Source
Juniperus communis (Wikipedia)
Home To: Juniperus communis, Subspecies
Quote, Home To: Juniperus communis, Subspecies
a prostrate ground-hugging shrub; leaves short, 3-8 mm; cones often larger, 7-12 mm, usually longer than the leaves; found in subarctic areas and high altitude alpine zones in temperate areas subsp. alpina var. alpina, Greenland, Europe and Asia subsp. alpina var. megistocarpa Fernald & H.St.John, Eastern Canada (doubtfully distinct from var. alpina) subsp. alpina var. jackii
View the Source
Plantago maritima (Wikipedia)
Home To: Plantago maritima, Ecology and physiology
Quote, Home To: Plantago maritima, Ecology and physiology
In some areas, it also occurs in alpine habitats, along mountain streams.
View the Source
Wild Yak (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Wild Yak, Distribution and habitat
Quote, Home To: Wild Yak, Distribution and habitat
It's most common in alpine tundra with a relatively thick carpet of grasses and sedges rather than the more barren steppe country.
View the Source
NatureServe Explorer: Pinus albicaulis
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Whitebark Pine, Species characteristics: Alpine
Quote, Home To: Whitebark Pine, Species characteristics: Alpine
"terrestrialHabitatDescEn": "Alpine"
View the Source
NatureServe Explorer: Argyroxiphium sandwicense
NatureServe Explorer
  • Home To: Hawaii Silversword, Species characteristics: Alpine
    "terrestrialHabitatDescEn": "Alpine"
  • Home To: Silversword, Species characteristics: Alpine
    "terrestrialHabitatDescEn": "Alpine"
View the Source
NatureServe Explorer: Euphydryas chalcedona
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Variable Checkerspot, Species characteristics: Alpine
Quote, Home To: Variable Checkerspot, Species characteristics: Alpine
"terrestrialHabitatDescEn": "Alpine"
View the Source
Wētā - Wikipedia
Home To: Weta, Habitat: Alpine
Quote, Home To: Weta, Habitat: Alpine
wētā are found in a variety of environments, including alpine, forests, grasslands, caves, shrub lands and urban gardens.
View the Source
Plants For A Future: Lepidium meyenii
Plants For A FutureHome To: Maca, Habitats
Quote, Home To: Maca, Habitats
Barren steppes, tundra and alpine plains, usually in limestone and clay soils, 3800 - 4800 metres
View the Source
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Indri indri (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHome To: Indri, Terrestrial Biomes
Quote, Home To: Indri, Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial Biomes forest forest mountains mountains
View the Source
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Nasua nasua (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHome To: South American Coati, Terrestrial Biomes
Quote, Home To: South American Coati, Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial Biomes forest forest rainforest rainforest scrub forest scrub forest mountains mountains
View the Source
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Ceratitis capitata
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHome To: Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Terrestrial Biomes
Quote, Home To: Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial Biomes savanna or grassland savanna or grassland forest forest rainforest rainforest scrub forest scrub forest mountains mountains
View the Source
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Animal Diversity Web: Mydaus javanensis
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHome To: Sunda Stink Badger, Terrestrial Biomes
Quote, Home To: Sunda Stink Badger, Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial Biomes forest forest mountains mountains
View the Source
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Martes foina (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHome To: Beech marten, Terrestrial Biomes
Quote, Home To: Beech marten, Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial Biomes scrub forest scrub forest mountains mountains
View the Source
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Ficedula hypoleuca (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHome To: European pied flycatcher, Terrestrial Biomes
Quote, Home To: European pied flycatcher, Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial Biomes forest forest mountains mountains
View the Source
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Regulus regulus (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHome To: Goldcrest, Terrestrial Biomes
Quote, Home To: Goldcrest, Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial Biomes forest forest scrub forest scrub forest mountains mountains
View the Source
NatureServe Explorer: Cervus canadensis
NatureServe ExplorerHome To: Eastern elk, Habitat comments
Quote, Home To: Eastern elk, Habitat comments
Uses open areas such as alpine pastures, marshy meadows, river flats, and aspen parkland, as well as coniferous forests
View the Source
The Gymnosperm Database: Picea engelmannii
The Gymnosperm DatabaseHome To: Engelmann Spruce, Distribution and Ecology
Quote, Home To: Engelmann Spruce, Distribution and Ecology
Canada: Alberta, British Columbia; USA: Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico; as krummholz at the alpine timberline (Taylor 1993).
View the Source
Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Wikipedia
Home To: Caterpillar Fungus, Article text: "sinensis generally live 15 cm (5.9 in) undergrou"
Quote, Home To: Caterpillar Fungus, Article text: "sinensis generally live 15 cm (5.9 in) undergrou"
sinensis generally live 15 cm (5.9 in) underground in alpine grass and shrub-lands on the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas at an altitude between 3,000 and 5,000 m (9,800 and 16,400 ft).
View the Source

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