An animal that lives in the mountains. Mountain nature: animals and plants

Mountain habitats vary greatly from the base to the top of mountains. Temperature on mountain peaks environment low, the atmosphere is rarefied, and the level ultraviolet radiation high. As the climate changes, flora and fauna change between. At the most high mountains At the highest peaks, environmental conditions cannot support tree life. The area of ​​the mountains where tree growth stops is called the tree line. Few trees, if any, will be able to grow above this line.

Most animal species live at lower altitudes, and only the hardiest fauna are found above the tree line, where the atmosphere is very thin and there is no tall vegetation.

In this list, we look at 10 mountain animals that have adapted to the challenging conditions of life at the top of the world.

Brown bear

Height: up to 5000 m.

Brown bear ( Ursus arctos) - a species from the family that has the widest range, and is found in the northern part of Eurasia and North America. The animals appear to have no specific altitudinal restrictions and are found from sea level to 5000 m (in the Himalayas). In most cases, they prefer scattered vegetation that can give them a place to rest during the day.

Brown bears adapted to high altitude conditions due to their thick fur and ability to climb mountains. They are the largest land predators, after polar bears, and can grow up to 750 kg. Brown bears feed on berries, herbs, shrubs, nuts, insects, larvae, as well as small mammals and ungulates.

Himalayan tahr

Height: up to 5000 m.

Himalayan tahr ( Hemitragus jemlahicus) is a large ungulate from the bovid family, common in China, India and Nepal. This representative of the bovids grows up to 105 kg, and has a size at the withers of up to 1 m. It is adapted to life in cool climates with rocky terrain, thanks to its thick fur and dense undercoat. In the Himalayas, these animals are mainly found on slopes from 2500 to 5000 m. They are able to move on smooth and rough surfaces characteristic of mountainous areas.

Their diet includes many plants. The short legs allow the Himalayan tahr to balance while reaching the leaves of shrubs and small trees. Like other bovids, they are ruminants, with complex digestive system, which allows you to receive nutrients from difficult to digest plant tissues.

bearded man

Height: lives up to 5000 m, but was discovered at an altitude of 7500 m.

bearded man ( Gypaetus barbatus) - a representative of the hawk family. This species is common in the mountains, with the presence of rocks, slopes, cliffs and gorges. Birds are often found near alpine pastures and meadows, mountain pastures and steppes, and rarely near forests. In Ethiopia, they are common on the outskirts of small villages and towns. Although sometimes they drop to 300-600 m, this is rather an exception. Generally, bearded vultures are rarely found below 1000 m altitude and are often found above 2000 m altitude in some parts of their range. They are common below or above tree lines, which are often found near mountain tops, up to 2000 m in Europe, 4500 m in Africa and 5000 m in Central Asia. They have even been observed at an altitude of 7500 m on Mount Everest.

This bird has a length of 94-125 cm and weighs 4.5-7.8 kg. Females are slightly larger than males. Unlike most other scavengers, this species is not bald and is relatively small in size, although its neck is powerful and thick. The adult bird is predominantly dark grey, red and whitish in color. The bearded vulture feeds on carrion and small animals.

Tibetan fox

Height: up to 5300 m.

Tibetan fox ( Vulpes ferrilata) is a species from the canine family. These foxes are found in the Tibetan Plateau, India, China, the Sutlej Valley in northwestern India and parts of Nepal, particularly the Mustang region.

Tibetan foxes are known to prefer barren slopes and streams. The maximum altitude at which these mammals were seen was 5300 m. Foxes live in burrows under stones or in rock crevices. The body length is 57.5-70 cm, and the weight is 3-4 kg. Among all types of foxes, the Tibetan has the most elongated muzzle. The coat color on the back, legs and head is reddish, and on the sides it is gray.

Himalayan marmot

Height: up to 5200 m.

Himalayan marmot ( Marmota himalayana) throughout the Himalayas and on the Tibetan plateau at an altitude of 3500 to 5200 m. These animals live in groups and dig deep holes in which they sleep.

The body size of the Himalayan marmot is comparable to that of a domestic cat. He has a dark chocolate brown coat with contrasting yellow spots on the head and chest.

Kiang

Height: up to 5400 m.

Kiang ( Equus kiang) - large mammal from the equine family, which has a size at the withers of up to 142 cm, body length of up to 214 cm, and weight of up to 400 kg. These animals have a large head, with a blunt muzzle and a convex nose. The mane is vertical and relatively short. The upper part of the body is reddish-brown in color, and the lower part is light.

Kiangs are common on the Tibetan plateau, between the Himalayas in the south and the Kunlun Mountains in the north. Their range is almost entirely limited to China, but small populations are found in the Ladakh and Sikkim regions of India, and along northern border Nepal.

Kiangs live in alpine meadows and steppes, at altitudes from 2700 to 5400 m above sea level. They prefer relatively flat plateaus, wide valleys and low hills, where grasses, sedges and a small amount of other low-growing vegetation. This open area, in addition to a good food supply, helps them detect and hide from predators. Their only real natural enemy Besides people, there is a wolf.

Orongo

Height: up to 5500 m.

Orongo ( Pantholops hodgsonii) is a medium-sized artiodactyl mammal native to the Tibetan Plateau. The size at the withers is up to 83 cm, and the weight is up to 40 kg. Males have long, curved horns, while females do not have them. The color of the back is reddish-brown, and the lower part of the body is light.

On the Tibetan Plateau, Orongos live in open alpine and cold steppe regions, at altitudes ranging from 3250 to 5500 m. They prefer flat, open terrain with sparse plant cover. The animals are found almost entirely in China, where they live in Tibet, Xinjiang and Qinghai provinces; some populations are also found in Ladakh, India.

Orongos feed on beans, grasses and sedges, and in winter they often dig through snow to get food. Their natural predators include wolves, and common foxes, are known to prey on baby orongos.

Tibetan gazelle

Height: up to 5750 m.

The Tibetan gazelle is a relatively small antelope, with a slender and graceful body. These animals grow up to 65 cm at the withers and weigh up to 16 kg. Males have long, tapering, ribbed horns, up to 32 cm long. Most of the body is grayish brown. Their fur has no undercoat, and consists only of long protective hairs, which winter time thicken significantly.

The Tibetan gazelle is native to the Tibetan plateau and is widely distributed throughout the region, at altitudes ranging from 3,000 to 5,750 meters. They are limited to the Chinese provinces of Gansu, Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai and Sichuan, with small populations found in the Ladakh and Sikkim regions of India.

Alpine meadows and steppes are the main habitats of these animals. Unlike some other ungulates, Tibetan gazelles do not form large herds and are usually found in small family groups. These artiodactyls feed on local vegetation, including forbs. Their main predator is the wolf.

Yak

Height: up to 6100 m.

Wild yak ( Bos mutus listen)) is a large wild animal native to the Himalayas in Central Asia. This is the ancestor of the domesticated yak ( Bos grunniens). Adult yaks measure up to 2.2 m at the withers and weigh up to 1000 kg. The length of the head and body is from 2.5 to 3.3 m, not counting the tail from 0.6 to 1 m. Females are approximately 30% smaller than males.

This animal is characterized by a massive body, with strong legs and rounded hooves. The fur is extremely dense, long, hangs below the belly, and provides excellent protection from the cold. Coat color typically ranges from light brown to black.

Yaks are common in treeless areas, at altitudes from 3000 to 6100 m. They are most often found in alpine tundras with relatively big amount herbs and sedges.

Alpine jackdaw

Height: up to 6500 m, but was discovered at an altitude of 8200 m.

Alpine jackdaw ( Pyrrhocorax graculus) is a bird from the corvid family and it can nest at the highest altitudes compared to other bird species. This indicates that the alpine jackdaw is the highest altitude organism on our planet. Eggs are adapted to a rarefied atmosphere, and can also absorb oxygen well and not lose moisture.

This bird has glossy black plumage, a yellow beak and red legs. She lays three to five spotted eggs. It feeds, as a rule, on summer and vegetation in winter; A jackdaw can easily approach tourists to get additional food.

This species usually breeds at altitudes of 1260-2880 m in Europe, 2880-3900 m in Africa and 3500-5000 m in Asia. Alpine jackdaws nest at altitudes of 6,500 m, which is higher than any other bird species, even surpassing the chough, which feeds at the highest altitudes. This bird was spotted by climbers climbing Everest, at an altitude of 8,200 m.

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Living conditions in the mountains are very different from those on the plains. As you ascend into the mountains, the climate changes: the air temperature drops, the wind strength increases, and often the amount of precipitation increases, and winter becomes longer. High in the mountains the air is thin and it is difficult to breathe. The nature of the vegetation from the foot of the mountains to the peaks changes over just a few thousand meters, counting vertically (see article “Vegetation of the High Mountains”).

Natural conditions in the mountains they change not only with height, but also when moving from one slope to another. Sometimes even neighboring areas of the same slope differ in climate and vegetation. It all depends on the position of the site in relation to the cardinal points, the steepness of the slopes and their openness to wet or dry winds.

Dagestan tour.

The living conditions in the mountains are varied, and their fauna is rich and varied. In the middle mountain zone, where the climate is not yet too harsh and there are forests, as a rule, it occurs significantly more types animals than on the same area of ​​the adjacent plain. The fauna is rich in the relatively narrow strip of the upper limit of the forest, especially on the subalpine edges. At higher levels, the number of animal species begins to decrease noticeably. The tops of the high mountains, where eternal snow lies, are almost devoid of life.

In the Alps, traces of chamois were seen on the top of Mont Blanc (4807 m). They go very high into the mountains - almost up to 6 thousand meters mountain goats, some types of sheep and yaks. Occasionally, after them, a snow leopard or snow leopard rises here. Of the vertebrate animals, only vultures, eagles and a few other birds penetrate even higher. The bearded vulture was seen in the Himalayas at an altitude of 7.5 thousand meters, and the condor was seen in the Andes at an even higher altitude. When climbing Chomolungma (Everest), climbers observed alpine jackdaws at an altitude of 8100 m. A snow partridge nest with a clutch of eggs was found in the Nepal Himalayas at an altitude of almost 5.7 thousand m.

Often the same animals are found in several mountain zones, but, as a rule, their numbers are significant only in one of them, the most suitable for the life of a given species. Big number species outside one or two of their most characteristic zones are rarely or not found at all, and only a few can be seen in different zones mountains Therefore, each mountain zone has its own animal world. It consists, as a rule, of a number of species close or identical to those found in the fauna of the corresponding latitudinal zone Earth. For example, in the tundra belt of mountains southern Siberia, called here char, you can observe reindeer, tundra partridge and horned lark, characteristic of the northern tundra.

Snow goat.

Animal world alpine belt of mountains of Europe, Asia, North America and to a lesser extent North Africa in general terms homogeneous. This is explained by the fact that in the highlands Northern Hemisphere living conditions are similar, and the core of the mountain fauna comes from common centers of speciation - the mountains of Central Asia and some other mountainous regions.

Many mountain animals live only where there are rocks. Mountain goats, bighorn sheep, argali, as well as goral and musk deer escape from predators in the rocks. Birds - rock pigeon, swifts and red-winged wallcreeper - find convenient nesting places there and hide from bad weather. The wall climber crawls along steep rocks like a woodpecker along a tree trunk. With its fluttering flight, this small bird with bright crimson wings resembles a butterfly.

Screes form in many mountains; The life of the mountain pika, also called the haymaker, the snow vole and some other rodents is associated with them. In the second half of summer, they all diligently collect blades of grass and twigs of bushes with leaves, lay them out on stones to dry, and then carry the hay under shelters made of stones.

Alpine goats.

The unique natural conditions of life in the mountains affected appearance animals that constantly live there, on their body shape, lifestyle and habits. They have developed characteristic adaptations that help in the struggle for existence. In mountain goats, chamois and American snow goat large mobile hooves capable of spreading widely. Along the edges of the hooves - from the sides and in front - there is a well-defined protrusion (welt), and the pads of the toes are relatively soft. All this allows animals, when moving along rocks and steep slopes, to cling to barely noticeable irregularities and not slip when running on icy snow. The horny substance of their hooves is very strong and grows quickly, so the hooves never “wear out” from being abraded by sharp stones. The structure of the legs of mountain ungulates allows them to make large jumps on steep slopes and quickly reach rocks where they can hide from persecution.

During the day, rising air currents predominate in the mountains. This favors the soaring flight of large birds - bearded vultures, eagles and vultures. Hovering in the air, they can spot carrion or live prey from afar. The mountains are also characterized by birds with fast, swift flight: Caucasian mountain grouse, mountain turkey, or snowcock, swifts.

Yak. The long and thick hair on the belly and sides serves as a kind of bedding for it.

In summer it is cold high in the mountains, so there are almost no reptiles there: most of them are heat-loving. They only penetrate higher than others viviparous species reptiles: some lizards, vipers, and in northern Africa - chameleons. In Tibet, at an altitude of more than 5 thousand m, the viviparous round-headed lizard is found. Roundheads living on the plains, where the climate is warmer, lay eggs. What has been said about reptiles is to a large extent true for amphibians, although they penetrate into the mountains a little higher - up to 5.5 thousand m. Of the amphibians common in our country, the Asia Minor frog and the gray or common toad penetrate the mountains higher than others . The upper limit of the vertical distribution of fish is about 5 thousand m.

Snow leopard, or snow leopard.

The lush plumage of mountain birds and the thick fur of animals protect them from the cold. The snow leopard, which lives in the highlands of Asia, has unusually long and fluffy fur, while its tropical relative, the leopard, has short and sparse fur. Animals living in the mountains shed much later in the spring than animals on the plains, and in the fall their fur begins to grow earlier.

Vultures.

Hummingbirds in the Andean highlands nest in caves in large groups, which helps keep the birds warm. On cold nights, they fall into torpor, thus minimizing energy expenditure on heating the body, the temperature of which can drop to 14°. One of the remarkable adaptations to life in the mountains is vertical migrations. With the onset of autumn, when it becomes cold high in the mountains, snowfalls begin and, most importantly, it becomes more difficult to obtain food, many animals migrate lower down the mountain slopes.

Condor.

A significant part of the birds living in the mountains of the Northern Hemisphere fly south for the winter. Most birds that remain to winter in mountainous areas descend to the lower zones, often to the very foothills and surrounding plains. Very few birds, such as the mountain turkey, spend the winter at high altitudes. In the Caucasus, it usually stays near places where aurochs, the closest relatives of mountain goats, graze. The snow here is sometimes dug up by their hooves, and it is easier for the bird to find food. The loud, alarming cry of a wary snowcock warns the aurochs of danger.

Deer, roe deer and wild boars, found in the mountains in summer up to alpine meadows, in the fall they descend into the forest. Many chamois also go here for the winter. Turs and other mountain goats migrate closer to the upper border of the forest, settling on steep rocky slopes. Some of them go down into the forest. Sometimes they move to the southern slopes, where the snow melts on alpine meadows in the very first hours or days after a snowfall, as happens in the Caucasus Mountains, or they go to steeper windward slopes, where the snow is blown away by the winds. In the mountains of Siberia, reindeer often spend the winter along the “vyduvai”, coming here from the forest. If the snow is too deep and dense and the ground lichens in the char are inaccessible to the reindeer, they go back into the forest and feed on tree lichens there.

Mountain turkey, or snowcock.

Following the wild ungulates, the predators that hunt them migrate - wolves, lynxes, snow leopards. The diversity of natural conditions in the mountains allows animals to find places to winter near the areas where they live in the summer. Therefore, the seasonal migrations of animals in the mountains, as a rule, are much shorter than the migrations of animals and birds on the plains.

In the mountains of Altai, Sayan and northeastern Siberia wild reindeer make seasonal migrations within 10-20 km, and their relatives living in the Far North travel several hundred kilometers in order to reach their wintering grounds. In the spring, as the snow melts, the animals that have descended migrate back to the upper zones of the mountains. Chamois, mountain goats and other ungulates living in the mountains often die in winter and in early spring during snowfalls.

Alpine insects: on the left - glacier flea; on the right is a springtail.

From mountain animals to different time and in different parts Since the beginning of the world, man has domesticated the goat, in Asia - the yak, in South America - the llama and alpaca. The yak and llama are used in the mountains mainly for carrying loads; female yak produce very rich milk. The alpaca, like the llama, belongs to the group of New World camels (American camels); it produces fine wool, superior in quality to sheep.

We have not yet said anything about invertebrate animals - insects and spiders, however, it is they, and not animals and birds, that are permanent inhabitants of high altitudes. Scientists from India and other countries discovered in the Himalayas at an altitude of 3500 to 6000 m above sea level several hundred species of resident arthropods living here - flies, springtails, beetles, aphids, butterflies, mayflies, locusts, ticks, centipedes, etc. In 1924 when attempting to climb Chomolungma, expedition members discovered active jumping spiders at an altitude of 6600 m. This is so far the highest limit at which living invertebrate animals have been found in the mountains.

Strong upward air currents bring masses of plant pollen, especially juniper and other conifers, spores, seeds, as well as aphids, winged ants, midges, mosquitoes, butterflies, etc. from the lower zones of the mountains and from the plains. There are known cases of aphids being transported over a distance by the wind up to 1280 km. According to the observations of the Indian entomologist Mani V in the spring and summer months on Mount Pir-Pindzhal in the Himalayas at an altitude of 3.5-4 km, at least 400 dead arthropods were deposited in a section of a snow field with an area of ​​about 10 m2 in 20 minutes different types. Especially a lot of organic residues accumulate at the foot and in the cracks of rocks. Many high-altitude insects and spiders live on them. Coniferous pollen feeds, in particular, on small insects called poduras, or glacier fleas, living directly on snow and firn fields.

Groups of invertebrate animals that exist due to organic remains brought by mountain breezes are called aeolian (Aeolus is the god of the winds in ancient Greek mythology). By the nature and origin of their food, coming from other vertical zones, they are similar to deep-sea groups of animals that ultimately exist due to organic remains that sink to the bottom of the oceans from upper layers water (see article “Fauna of the seas and oceans”).

Insects in the mountains often live under rocks; In summer, during sunny hours, the stones become very hot, and the air temperature near them is higher than in other places. Insects also use cracks in the ground and crevices in rocks, rare spots of carpets of alpine plants, soil, small bodies of water and even snow as shelters. Most mountain insects are small in size, living under stones - a flat body shape, thanks to which they can more successfully find shelter. Particularly many insects are found near the edge of melting snow, where the air and soil are moister and where it is easiest to find food - organic remains carried away by melt water. The low density of the atmosphere and the associated low oxygen content in it do not have a noticeable negative effect on insects.

Insects spend the long winter under thick snow cover. In summer they are usually active during hours when the sun shines brightly; therefore, they often alternate periods of intense life and rest several times during the day. But some insects were observed in an active state even when snow began to fall in the mountains and the thermometer showed several degrees of frost. Podura are unusually resistant to cold. On the plains, moth butterflies are active at dusk and at night; in the highlands they are diurnal: at night the air is too cold for them.

Many insects in the mountains are dark in color and highly pigmented (spotted). This better protects insects from excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays, which are very intense in the mountains. Some species of butterflies, bumblebees and wasps that live high in the mountains have densely pubescent bodies - this reduces heat loss. The latter is facilitated by the shortening of the antennae and legs. High in the mountains, bees and bumblebees are extremely rare, and here flies and other dipterans and butterflies play the main role in flower pollination.

Strong winds in the mountains make life difficult for flying insects. The wind often blows them onto snow fields and glaciers, where they die. As a result of long-term natural selection in the mountains, species of insects arose with greatly shortened, underdeveloped wings, completely losing the ability for active flight. Their closest relatives, living on the plains, are winged and can fly.

Living conditions in the equatorial highlands of Africa are very unique - on Mount Kilimanjaro (5895 m), Rwenzori (5119 m), etc. If seasonal differences in air temperature in these mountains at an altitude of 4-4.5 km above sea level are insignificant, then the daily the fluctuations are exceptionally large. In the alpine desert zone, the air temperature at night almost always drops below zero, but during the day, at an air temperature of about 6°, the soil surface illuminated by the sun heats up to 70° and above. Therefore, almost all animals are active here only early in the morning and late in the evening, for a total of no more than 2-3 hours. For the rest of the day, all living things hide and hide in holes, cracks in the ground, under stones, and only in cloudy days active life lasts longer.

The color of mountain equatorial insects is usually dominated by faded, desert tones; In some insects, on the contrary, the chitinous surface of the body is shiny, silvery, facilitating reflection sun rays. Beetles are characterized by bright colors and rounded elytra, forming a kind of arch above the abdomen; an air gap under the arch of the elytra protects the beetle from overheating.

Thus, insects of the equatorial highlands combine adaptations for protection from both very low temperatures, and from excessively high ones. Many interesting pages from the life of mountain animals have not yet been read and await young inquisitive naturalists.

As we already said in the article about the mountain climate, it is fundamentally different from the lowland climate, therefore the living conditions of both plants and animals in the mountains and on the plain are different. Not every animal is able to survive in the mountains. This is due, first of all, to the thin air, and secondly, to the change in vegetation, which is necessary for nutrition for many lowland animals.

Despite the inaccessible rocky places, steep cliffs and descents, the fauna of the mountains is very diverse. In the middle mountain zone, where there are forests and the climate is milder, the number of animal species is much greater than on the plain. Above the subalpine edges, the number of animal species begins to decrease noticeably. And the tops of the mountains, covered with eternal snow, are almost devoid of life. On the top of Mont Blanc (4807 m) traces of chamois were seen; mountain goats, yaks and some types of sheep also go high into the mountains (up to 6000 m). Occasionally at this altitude you can see the snow leopard.

Birds manage to climb higher than all mountain animals. On Everest, climbers observed alpine jackdaws; in the Nepalese Himalayas, a snow partridge nest was found at an altitude of 5700 m. A condor was seen in the Andes, and a bearded vulture was seen in the Himalayas (7500 m).

For each mountain zone characterized by a certain type of animal, based on commonality with the fauna living in the corresponding latitudinal zone.
For example, in the mountains of southern Siberia in the tundra belt it is found reindeer, horned lark, tundra partridge, for which their native zone is the northern tundra. The mountain belt of Europe, Asia, and North America is homogeneous in general terms, since in the alpine mountain belt the way of life of the fauna is similar and it is the common center of its speciation.

For many animals, for example: mountain goat, bighorn sheep, argali, goral and musk deer, rocks are the most comfort zone habitat, since there you can escape from predators. Rocks are also a shelter from bad weather for birds and a convenient place for nesting. The red-winged wallcreeper gets its name because it moves along a steep cliff like a woodpecker through a tree. The familiar pigeons and swifts also happily nest in rocky niches.

In the rocky scree, the mountain pika, also called the snow vole, scurries back and forth. She dries thin twigs, straws, blades of grass, leaves on the stones, and then takes them to stone shelters: she uses them as hay.

Summer in the mountains is cold, so you rarely see reptiles there (they are heat-loving), with the exception of viviparous lizards and vipers, and in northern Africa, chameleons. Hummingbirds have uniquely adapted to endure the cold: during the day they gather in groups in caves, thus warming each other, and at night they fall into torpor, saving energy for heating the body.

In summer, deer, roe deer, wild boars and other wild ungulates descend from the mountains into the forest, where the snow has melted and it is easier to get food. Following them, predators migrate - wolves, snow leopards, foxes. The natural conditions in the mountains are so diverse that they allow animals to winter near the areas where they live in the summer.

Insects of mountainous regions are so diverse in their appearance and lifestyle that deserve a separate encyclopedic article and special attention inquisitive naturalists.

Mountains are often inaccessible areas for humans, but this does not mean that mountains are inaccessible to people. various types animals and plants. The nature of the mountains differs significantly from the nature of the plains for the reasons that at altitude the air is thinner and water is less accessible - all this leads to the fact that the mountains have a special flora and fauna.

Animal world

Mountain animals are forced to have thick skin and strong limbs - this is necessary in order to withstand the temperature dropping with altitude, climb high and feel comfortable on hard surfaces. Ungulates, cats, monkeys, various reptiles and insects - these are the animals that can most often be found in the mountains. The inhabitants of the mountains are unpretentious and hardy. Bighorn sheep, yaks and mountain goats can feed on lichens and dry grass, thanks to which they survive in the harsh mountains. Asian snow leopards and pumas living in the American mountains can easily move through rocky areas and live solitary lives. Golden eagles and mountain eagles notice their prey from afar - and strong air currents at mountain heights do not create obstacles for them. In the mountainous equatorial regions there are gorillas, whose strong limbs help them move. Also, a wide variety of lizards feel comfortable in mountainous areas.

Vegetable world

The delicate edelweiss flower is considered the main decoration of the mountains of Europe and Asia - leaves amazing flower prevent the evaporation of moisture from the plant. Blue spruce is a tree most commonly found in the mountains of America. This tree can grow at astonishing heights, reaching up to 3,000 meters above sea level. Basically, mountainous areas are covered with lichens and thorns, since the close sun dries everything out, but in the tropical mountains you can find a wide variety of plants, since the forests there are filled with moisture. Vegetation is generally dense at the base of mountains, but vegetation is sparse at high altitudes.

Unlike lowland territories, which are characterized by horizontal (sprat) zoning of landscapes, mountainous areas have vertical zoning, that is, a change in landscapes in the direction from the base of the mountains to their peaks. When climbing mountains, a sequential transition from one zone to another is revealed in accordance with changes in temperature and air humidity at different altitudes. Thus, in the mountains, the flora and fauna naturally repeat the features of latitudinal landscapes - steppe, deciduous, mixed and coniferous forests, alpine tundra with alpine meadows and, finally, the glacial zone. However, there is no complete similarity between mountain landscapes and their corresponding horizontal natural areas does not exist, since mountains are located in different climatic regions of the Earth and rise above sea level from the territory of different latitude zones, which inevitably has a certain impact on the nature of mountain flora and fauna. For example, the appearance and composition of the vegetation and fauna of mountain steppes and deserts Central Asia reminiscent of the nature of the Central Asian plains. The mountains of the forest zone in the corresponding zones have a similar species composition of the flora and fauna of lowland forests.

Within Russia, mountain landscapes occupy more than 6% of the entire territory of the country and are well expressed in the Caucasus, in Western Siberia(Altai, Sayan Mountains). As for the mountains of the Urals and Eastern Siberia, then they rise from the territory of the taiga, which smoothes out the specificity of the mountain belts of these areas.

Because mountain systems Russia is located over vast areas and distant from each other, their fauna does not represent a single whole. The fauna of each of them differs to one degree or another in species composition from the rest. In this regard, it is more expedient to consider the characteristics of the animal population of the mountains in relation to those species groups that are represented in the zone of alpine meadows, since it is these animals that have the most clearly expressed features characteristic of the mountain fauna.

The influence of eternal snow affects the nature of the adjacent alpine belt. Here, the main habitats suitable for plant and animal life are sufficiently moist, since during most of the summer there is an influx of melt water from the snow cover. According to the terms mountainous terrain Surface water flows down quickly and does not form wetlands, so permafrost does not form anywhere. In the spring, moisture-loving perennial grasses of the meadow type develop, which feed on the peculiar ground mountain birds snowcocks, rock partridges, chukars, etc. These birds move well over uneven hard ground, maneuvering among scattered rubble and rocky ledges, and quickly run along steep slopes.

Various herbivorous animals are also typical for the highlands - marmots and haymakers (pischka). Some of them live among rocky placers, others inhabit high-mountain areas of the steppes. Many of them dig holes and hibernate for the winter (marmots); others do not hibernate, but prepare stacks of fragrant hay for the period of winter starvation (hay supply). No less characteristic of the mountains are rock voles, living either in burrows, or in rock crevices, or among rocky placers, where they make warm spherical nests from wool, down and feathers collected in the surrounding area.