Colorado Life Zones

1. 5. 1. Alpine Prairie Colorado Life Zones 2. Foothills 3. Montane 4. Subalpine 6. Riparian

2. Colorado Life Zones Alpine 11,500 +ft. Sub alpine 10,000 – 11,500 ft. Montane 8,000 – 10,000 ft. Foothills 5,500 – 8,000 ft. Riparian Plains 3,500 – 5,500 ft.

3. Influences on the Life Zones • Elevation • Climate • Soils (Dirt) • Threats • Animals • Plants • Food Web

4. Montane Life Zone

5. Montane Life Zone Alpine 11,500 +ft. Sub alpine 10,000 – 11,500 ft. Montane 8,000 – 10,000 ft. Foothills 5,500 – 8,000 ft. Riparian Plains 3,500 – 5,500 ft.

6. What Is It Like In The Montane? Snow falls in late fall and winter, thunderstorms in summer, more rain than foothills. Warmer than alpine. Climate Temperature Stays near freezing (24-32 F) in the winter, warm in the summer (70-78 F) Geography Located between foothills and subalpine. This zone supports many types of plant and animal habitats. Deep soils in flat meadows help grasses and shrubs grow. Trees grow better in less wet, more rocky soils on the slopes of the valleys. Soils

7. How Tall Are The Trees In The Montane? Montane Alpine Plains Riparian Foothills

8. What kinds of plants grow in the Montane? ?

9. Douglas Fir • Found in wet upper montane zone • Flat needles, cones have “mouse tails” • Rough Bark • Strong, Hard Wood – Good for Construction • Bears like to scrape the bark and eat sap

10. Lodgepole Pine

11. Aspen Trees • Trees lose their leaves in the fall • Very Fertile Soils Beneath Aspen • Leaves “quake” or “tremble” in the wind • Most trees in an area are from one root. • Grows well after fire

12. Columbine Indian Paintbrush State flower of Colorado!

13. What kinds of animals live in the Montane? ?

14. Golden mantled ground squirrel How does the golden mantled ground squirrel survive the long, cold winters in its Montane habitat?

15. Black Bears Black bear dens

16. ELK Can you tell the difference between the antlers? Willows Some of their favorite foods are willow and aspen bark. Aspen

17. Gray Jay Stellar’s Jay