Explore the diverse and unique ecosystems of mountainous regions. Learn about their climate, soil, flora, fauna, and environmental challenges, including deforestation, mining, and climate change.

Mountainous Regions: Climate, Soil, and Biodiversity

Geographical Location and Distribution of the Mountainous Regions

Climate

Many of you are aware of the fact that the location of a given place on the globe invariably governs and determines the climate or weather conditions of that region. The climate is considered a fundamental natural constituent that helps sustain and nurture any kind of natural environment, be it mountain, desert, coastal, or plain environment.

Owing to the factors of diverse terrain and the variable nature of energy and available moisture content, mountain areas are generally characterized by climatic contrasts within a span of one kilometer or even lesser distance. If you have done trekking in a mountainous area, you might have experienced such contrasts while ascending and descending a mountain or summit.

On this basis, can you identify and highlight the climatic conditions that prevail in the mountain regions of the world? Are these conditions identical, or do they vary spatially across mountain regions in different latitudes and altitudes? Are there any other factors that govern the climate of a region in such places? These kinds of questions, along with many others, may arise as you explore this topic.

SOIL

The soil of mountainous regions is characterized by typical conditions unlike other geographical regions. The rugged topography, cold climatic conditions, and other factors create serious impediments to the proper development of the soil horizon. The soil profile is not fully developed except on river terraces or in similar geomorphological units like plateaus or plains. Here, the soil profile is often characterized by skeletal soil cover, stony character, thinness, and immature mountain soil.

The soil varies with altitudinal variations across different segments of mountain regions. It is typically characterized by stony clay with a thin soil cover. There is a difference in the soil cover between low-lying portions near river terraces and higher areas in the mountain uplands or highlands. The prevalence of near sub-zero temperature values for a significant portion of the year, coupled with heavy snowfall, often triggers the process of mechanical weathering in the mountainous regions.

The soils of the mountainous regions are stony clay with very poor mineral content. These soils are highly acidic in nature, which retards the growth of plants, as roots cannot absorb the required nutrients. The intense and heavy snowfall in the region also damages the topsoil layer more prominently than in other geographical regions. In this manner, the soil profile generally remains devoid of the much-required nutrients for plant growth.

You may be well aware of the fact that a good soil cover or soil profile offers the ideal conditions for the growth and sustenance of vegetation in any geographical region across the globe.

FLORA

Now, you have already learned about the climatic conditions of the mountainous regions. The low temperature and scanty to moderate rainfall in the mountainous regions allow the growth of rich and varied vegetative cover, some of which are medicinally valuable. The characteristic feature of the flora of this area can be summarized as follows:

FAUNA

The mountainous regions do not only contain a diverse variety of natural vegetation but are also home to many faunal species, including a few endangered species. The snow leopard, ibex, yak, and llama are a few large animals that are native to diverse mountainous regions of the world. Generally, two broad types of faunal life exist in the mountainous regions of the world:

The major mountainous ranges of the world are home to many animal species as well as thousands of species of birds. These animals and birds are of paramount importance for both the sustainability of ecosystem services and the well-being of human communities and societies. Hence, all of you will certainly agree that the faunal diversities must be preserved.

HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION

Environmental Problems in the Mountainous Region

Environmental Problems in the Mountainous Regions

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