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High-Altitude Adaptations of Plants and Animals

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Bristelcone Pine

Bighorn sheep have specilized hooves that allow them to navigate the rugged terrain better. The outer edges oftheir hooves are hard and sharp for cutting into ice and rock, while the softer, concave undersides provide suction-like grip on slippery surfaces. Their fur provides insulation against the extreme cold temperatures often encountered at high altitudes.

Rocky Mountain bristlecone pines grow slowly in order to increase their chances of surviving; they frequently only grow their trunks by 1/100th of an inch each summer and don't add any rings to them during dry spells. Typically, they reach heights of nine to twenty-five feet. Because of its high resin content, the wood is more resilient to insects and disease. Moreover, bristlecones conserve energy by using the same needles for decades at a time, whereas most trees replace their needles annually.

Cites

  • https://www.5280.com/colorado-by-nature-bristlecone-pines/
  • https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/pinari/all.html
  • https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/bighorn-sheep#:~:text=The%20bighorn%20sheep's%20keen%20eyesight,Dall%20sheep%20(Ovis%20dalli).
  • https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/bighorn-sheep.htm

Bristelcone Pine

Bristlecones can grow in places where other trees cannot because they are extremely resistant to harsh weather and bad soil. Because of this, bristlecones are very hardy. However recently, warmer temperatures and drier weather have made it possible for mountain pine beetles to spread to bristlecones.

Introduction

Plants and animals face a number of difficulties in high-altitude environments, like those in Colorado: reduced oxygen levels, lower temperatures, more UV radiation, and a shorter growing season. Numerous species have developed special adaptations over time that allow them to flourish in these environments.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn sheep are feeders with a diet that can vary widely based on the seasonal availability of resources. They eat a variety of grasses, forbs, and shrubs. They have a social structure where herds are often led by experienced older females, helps younger and less experienced members find the best grazing sites and navigate the treacherous mountain terrain.

Their large lungs and increased lung surface area help the lungs compensating for the lower oxygen availability at high altitudes. Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep also have higher hemoglobin levels and a greater number of red blood cells which allows for more efficient oxygen uptake and delivery to tissues.

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