It’s not easy for plants and animals to live in the mountains. Thin soil, thin air, freezing cold, and high winds make for a harsh life. The higher up an animal lives, the less it finds to eat. Even so, many species do live in the mountains.
The higher up the mountain you go, the colder it gets. The vegetation and wildlife change, too. On the lowest slopes, there may be forests and many kinds of animals. At a certain height, it is too cold and windy for trees to live. That level is called the timberline, or tree line. The colder it is, the lower the timberline is. Above that are meadows and pastures where only low-lying plants grow. Those include grasses, shrubs, alpine flowers, mosses, and lichens. Above the snow line, almost nothing grows. Only the toughest animals can live up there. In each of these zones, plants and animals have adapted in special ways that help them survive.
