←This is a picture of the Andes Mountains taken by a satellite orbiting the Earth.
↓This is a close up picture of Mountains of the Earth’s Surface.
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A Description of Mountains
A mountain is a large landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill. The adjective montane is used to describe mountainous areas and things associated with them. The study of mountains is called Orology. [1]
A mountain range is a chain of mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys. Individual mountains within the same mountain range do not necessarily have the same geology, though they often do; they may be a mix of different orogeny. [3] Climate
Mountain climate is a geographical term used for the kind of climate in the mountains and generally in the high country. It is often contrasted to the climate of the cloudy, lowland area surrounding or near the same mountains.
The areas of mountain climate generally have colder winters and milder summers. [3] Highland climates are cool to cold, found in mountains and high plateaus. Climates change rapidly on mountains, becoming colder the higher the altitude gets. The climate of a highland area is closely related to the climate of the surrounding biome. The highlands have the same seasons and wet and dry periods as the biome they are in. Mountain climates are very important to mid-latitude biomes. They work as water storage areas. Snow is kept back until spring and summer when it is released slowly as water through melting. oTemperature Range: -18 °C to 10 °C (-2 °F to 50°F) oAverage Annual Precipitation: 23 cm (9 in.) oLatitude Range: found all over the world oGlobal Position: Rocky Mountain Range in North America, the Andean mountain range in South America, the Alps in Europe, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, the Himalayans in Tibet, Mt. Fuji in Japan [2]
Animals of the Mountains
Bighorn Sheep Diet The bighorn sheep browses on grasses, clover and sedges in warm months. In colder months, it eats woody plants like willow and sage. Bighorn sheep in desert areas often eat brushy plants like holly and cactus. When it is not grazing, it will lie down and chew its cud. [7] Habitat All bighorn sheep migrate between high mountain slopes in the summer and foothill slopes in winter. They live in areas that are rarely disturbed by humans. Bighorns are found on high, rugged, sparsely wooded mountain slopes, cliffs, and rocky, lightly wooded canyons and foothills. They feed in early morning, at midday, and in the evening. Between grazing they lie down, resting, and chewing their cud and digesting their food. They return to a bedding spot each night, an area about 4 feet wide and wallowed down about 1 inch. This bed usually smells of their urine and is edged with droppings. Bighorn sheep return to these beds, staying for extended periods during their yearly migrations, and may use them again and again over several years. [13] Classification
Kingdom:Animalia Phylum:Chordata Class:Mammalia Order:Artiodactyla Family:Bovidae Genus:Ovis Species: O. Canadensis Lynx
Diet
About 75% of the lynx's diet is made up of the snowshoe hare. It also eats birds, meadow voles, carrion and sometimes larger animals like deer and caribou. Lynx often store leftover kill by covering it with snow.[10]
Habitat The lynx is divided into four groups in the United States depending on geographical location. These areas included the Northeast, the Great Lakes states, the northern Rocky Mountains/ Cascades, and the southern Rocky Mountains. Lynx need a large area of undisturbed forest to live. This territory may range from 4 to 100 square miles. Lynx like to hunt in young forest, but prefer to build their dens in old forests. [12]
Diet
The Golden Eagle is a carnivore that feeds on animals such as: Groundhogs, marmots, foxes, skunks, cats, rabbits, grouse, ground squirrels, crows, pheasants, meadowlarks, tortoises, and snakes.[5] Habitat
Generally open country, in prairies, tundra, open coniferous forest and barren areas, especially in hilly or mountainous regions, nesting on cliff ledges and in trees. [8] Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae Genus: Aquila Species: A. chrysaetos [6]
Plants of the Mountains Curlleaf Mountain Mahogany Description
A shrub to small tree with one to several trunks. It grows, on average, 3 to 15 feet tall, but can reach up the 35 feet tall. It characteristically grows in scattered patches. Flowers May to July and reproduces from seeds. The flowers lack petals, and are found either solitary or in clusters of 2 to 3 in the leaf axils. Tube-shaped. Fruit is a hard, narrow, and sharp-pointed achenes. The seed is tipped with a persistent feathery style, which is corkscrew-like and enables the seed to penetrate the ground. Curlleaf mountain mahogany begins producing fruit at 15 years. Alternate, sometimes appearing clustered. They are resinous and aromatic. The blades are lance-shaped with rolled margins. The leaf has a prominent midvein, with a dark green top and a paler, rusty to white hairy underside. Twigs are stiff. The bark is reddish-brown, and deeply grooved. [14] Habitat Curlleaf mountain mahogany is found on hills, rocky slopes, and rocky ridges, and in canyons. It is somewhat shade tolerant.[14]
Purple Mountain Saxifrage Description It is a low-growing, densely or loosely matted plant growing to 3–5 cm high, with somewhat woody branches of creeping or trailing habit close to the surface. The leaves are small, rounded, scale-like, opposite in 4 rows, with ciliated margins. The flowers are solitary on short stalks, petals purple or lilac, much longer than the calyx lobes. It is one of the very first spring flowers, continuing to flower during the whole summer in localities where the snow melts later. The flowers grow to about 0.5 inches in diameter. Habitat Saxifraga oppositifolia, the purple saxifrage or purple mountain saxifrage, is a species of edible plant that is very common all over the high Arctic and also some high mountainous areas further south, including northern Britain, the Alps and the Rocky Mountains. It is even known to grow in north Greenland, at 83°15'N, the most northerly plant locality in the world. It grows in all kinds of cold temperate to arctic habitats, from sea level up to 1000 m, in many places coloring the landscape. It is a popular plant in alpine gardens, though difficult to grow in warm climates.
Rocky Mountain Beeweed Description It is an annual plant growing to 10-150 cm tall, with spirally arranged leaves. The leaves are trifoliate, with three slender leaflets each 1-7 cm long. The flowers are reddish-purple, pink, or white, with four petals and six long stamens. The fruit is a capsule 3-6 cm long containing several seeds. [17] Habitat The Rocky Mountain Beeweed is native to western North America from southern British Columbia, east to Minnesota and Illinois, and south to New Mexico and northernmost California. It is also naturalized further east in North America. Also grown along mountain sides. [17] Classification Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Angiosperms Class: Eudicots Order: Brassicales Family: Cleomaceae Genus: Cleome Species:C. serrultata [17]
Human Impact Mountain biking is still a relatively new activity whose environmental impact and contribution to trail degradation is poorly understood. As with all recreational pursuits, it is clear that mountain biking contributes some degree of environmental degradation. In the absence of adequate research, land and trail managers have frequently been cautious, implementing restrictive regulations in some instances (Edger 1997). Surveys of managers have shown that they frequently perceive mountain biking to be a substantial contributor to trail degradation but lack scientific studies or monitoring data to substantiate such concerns (Chavez and others 1993; Schuett 1997). In recent years, however, a small number of studies have been conducted that help clarify the environmental impacts associated with mountain biking. This article describes the general impacts associated with recreational uses of natural surface trails, with a focus on those studies that have examined mountain biking impacts.[18] Trails are generally regarded as essential facilities in parks and forests. They provide access to remote areas, accommodate a diverse array of recreational activities, and protect resources by concentrating visitor trampling on narrow and resistant tread surfaces. Formal or designated trails are generally designed and constructed, which involves vegetation removal and soil excavation. These changes may be considered "unavoidable," in contrast to "avoidable" post-construction degradation from their subsequent use (e.g., trail widening, erosion, muddiness), or from the development and degradation of informal visitor-created trails.[18] Common environmental impacts associated with recreational use of trails include: ·Vegetation loss and compositional changes ·Soil compaction ·Erosion ·Muddiness ·Degraded water quality ·Disruption of wildlife [18]
Welcome to the Mountains Wiki-Page!!
Mountains on Earth
.......................
↓This is a close up picture of Mountains of the Earth’s Surface.
...................
A Description of Mountains
A mountain is a large landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill. The adjective montane is used to describe mountainous areas and things associated with them. The study of mountains is called Orology. [1]
A mountain range is a chain of mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys. Individual mountains within the same mountain range do not necessarily have the same geology, though they often do; they may be a mix of different orogeny. [3]
Climate
Mountain climate is a geographical term used for the kind of climate in the mountains and generally in the high country. It is often contrasted to the climate of the cloudy, lowland area surrounding or near the same mountains.
The areas of mountain climate generally have colder winters and milder summers. [3]
Highland climates are cool to cold, found in mountains and high plateaus. Climates change rapidly on mountains, becoming colder the higher the altitude gets. The climate of a highland area is closely related to the climate of the surrounding biome. The highlands have the same seasons and wet and dry periods as the biome they are in.
Mountain climates are very important to mid-latitude biomes. They work as water storage areas. Snow is kept back until spring and summer when it is released slowly as water through melting.
o Temperature Range: -18 °C to 10 °C (-2 °F to 50°F)
o Average Annual Precipitation: 23 cm (9 in.)
o Latitude Range: found all over the world
o Global Position: Rocky Mountain Range in North America, the Andean mountain range in South America, the Alps in Europe, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, the Himalayans in Tibet, Mt. Fuji in Japan [2]
Animals of the Mountains
Bighorn Sheep
Diet
The bighorn sheep browses on grasses, clover and sedges in warm months. In colder months, it eats woody plants like willow and sage. Bighorn sheep in desert areas often eat brushy plants like holly and cactus. When it is not grazing, it will lie down and chew its cud. [7]
Habitat
All bighorn sheep migrate between high mountain slopes in the summer and foothill slopes in winter. They live in areas that are rarely disturbed by humans. Bighorns are found on high, rugged, sparsely wooded mountain slopes, cliffs, and rocky, lightly wooded canyons and foothills. They feed in early morning, at midday, and in the evening. Between grazing they lie down, resting, and chewing their cud and digesting their food. They return to a bedding spot each night, an area about 4 feet wide and wallowed down about 1 inch. This bed usually smells of their urine and is edged with droppings. Bighorn sheep return to these beds, staying for extended periods during their yearly migrations, and may use them again and again over several years. [13]
Classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Artiodactyla
Family:Bovidae
Genus:Ovis
Species: O. Canadensis
Lynx
Diet
About 75% of the lynx's diet is made up of the snowshoe hare. It also eats birds, meadow voles, carrion and sometimes larger animals like deer and caribou. Lynx often store leftover kill by covering it with snow.[10]
Habitat
The lynx is divided into four groups in the United States depending on geographical location. These areas included the Northeast, the Great Lakes states, the northern Rocky Mountains/ Cascades, and the southern Rocky Mountains. Lynx need a large area of undisturbed forest to live. This territory may range from 4 to 100 square miles. Lynx like to hunt in young forest, but prefer to build their dens in old forests. [12]
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Golden Eagle
Diet
The Golden Eagle is a carnivore that feeds on animals such as: Groundhogs, marmots, foxes, skunks, cats, rabbits, grouse, ground squirrels, crows, pheasants, meadowlarks, tortoises, and snakes.[5]
Habitat
Generally open country, in prairies, tundra, open coniferous forest and barren areas, especially in hilly or mountainous regions, nesting on cliff ledges and in trees. [8]
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Aquila
Species: A. chrysaetos [6]
Plants of the Mountains
Curlleaf Mountain Mahogany
Description
A shrub to small tree with one to several trunks. It grows, on average, 3 to 15 feet tall, but can reach up the 35 feet tall. It characteristically grows in scattered patches. Flowers May to July and reproduces from seeds. The flowers lack petals, and are found either solitary or in clusters of 2 to 3 in the leaf axils. Tube-shaped. Fruit is a hard, narrow, and sharp-pointed achenes. The seed is tipped with a persistent feathery style, which is corkscrew-like and enables the seed to penetrate the ground. Curlleaf mountain mahogany begins producing fruit at 15 years. Alternate, sometimes appearing clustered. They are resinous and aromatic. The blades are lance-shaped with rolled margins. The leaf has a prominent midvein, with a dark green top and a paler, rusty to white hairy underside. Twigs are stiff. The bark is reddish-brown, and deeply grooved. [14]
Habitat
Curlleaf mountain mahogany is found on hills, rocky slopes, and rocky ridges, and in canyons. It is somewhat shade tolerant.[14]
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoiliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Cercocarpus
Species: C. ledifolius
[15]
Purple Mountain Saxifrage
Description
It is a low-growing, densely or loosely matted plant growing to 3–5 cm high, with somewhat woody branches of creeping or trailing habit close to the surface. The leaves are small, rounded, scale-like, opposite in 4 rows, with ciliated margins. The flowers are solitary on short stalks, petals purple or lilac, much longer than the calyx lobes. It is one of the very first spring flowers, continuing to flower during the whole summer in localities where the snow melts later. The flowers grow to about 0.5 inches in diameter.
Habitat
Saxifraga oppositifolia, the purple saxifrage or purple mountain saxifrage, is a species of edible plant that is very common all over the high Arctic and also some high mountainous areas further south, including northern Britain, the Alps and the Rocky Mountains. It is even known to grow in north Greenland, at 83°15'N, the most northerly plant locality in the world. It grows in all kinds of cold temperate to arctic habitats, from sea level up to 1000 m, in many places coloring the landscape. It is a popular plant in alpine gardens, though difficult to grow in warm climates.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoiliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Saxifragaceae
Genus: Saxifraga
Species: S. oppositifolia
Rocky Mountain Beeweed
Description
It is an annual plant growing to 10-150 cm tall, with spirally arranged leaves. The leaves are trifoliate, with three slender leaflets each 1-7 cm long. The flowers are reddish-purple, pink, or white, with four petals and six long stamens. The fruit is a capsule 3-6 cm long containing several seeds. [17]
Habitat
The Rocky Mountain Beeweed is native to western North America from southern British Columbia, east to Minnesota and Illinois, and south to New Mexico and northernmost California. It is also naturalized further east in North America. Also grown along mountain sides. [17]
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Angiosperms
Class: Eudicots
Order: Brassicales
Family: Cleomaceae
Genus: Cleome
Species: C. serrultata
[17]
Human Impact
Mountain biking is still a relatively new activity whose environmental impact and contribution to trail degradation is poorly understood. As with all recreational pursuits, it is clear that mountain biking contributes some degree of environmental degradation. In the absence of adequate research, land and trail managers have frequently been cautious, implementing restrictive regulations in some instances (Edger 1997). Surveys of managers have shown that they frequently perceive mountain biking to be a substantial contributor to trail degradation but lack scientific studies or monitoring data to substantiate such concerns (Chavez and others 1993; Schuett 1997). In recent years, however, a small number of studies have been conducted that help clarify the environmental impacts associated with mountain biking. This article describes the general impacts associated with recreational uses of natural surface trails, with a focus on those studies that have examined mountain biking impacts.[18]
Trails are generally regarded as essential facilities in parks and forests. They provide access to remote areas, accommodate a diverse array of recreational activities, and protect resources by concentrating visitor trampling on narrow and resistant tread surfaces. Formal or designated trails are generally designed and constructed, which involves vegetation removal and soil excavation. These changes may be considered "unavoidable," in contrast to "avoidable" post-construction degradation from their subsequent use (e.g., trail widening, erosion, muddiness), or from the development and degradation of informal visitor-created trails.[18]
Common environmental impacts associated with recreational use of trails include:
· Vegetation loss and compositional changes
· Soil compaction
· Erosion
· Muddiness
· Degraded water quality
· Disruption of wildlife [18]
Mountain Protection Organizations
· UIAA
· Mountain Protective Services
· Rocky Mountain Protective Services
· High Mountain Protective Services
· Black Mountain Protective Services
Reference List
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain
2. http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/climate.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_range
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bighorn_Sheep
5. http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/eagle7.html
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Eagle
7. http://www.nhptv.org/Natureworks/bighornsheep.htm
8. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden_Eagle/lifehistory#at_habitat
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynxn
10. http://www.nhptv.org/NatureWorks/lynx.htm
11. http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/lynx.php
12. http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0211900/journey/lynx.htm
13. http://eduscapes.com/nature/bighorn/index1.htm
14. http://extension.usu.edu/range/Woody/curlleafmahog.htm
15. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cercocarpus
16. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxifraga_oppositifolia
17. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleome_serrulata
18. http://www.imba.com/resources/science/marion_wimpey_2007.html