How might a mountain affect where particular types of biomes are located?

Question

environmental science

Answer 1

Several effects are possible:

1.  Mountains cause air currents to rise and drop their moisture on the windward side.  So biomes on the windward side (where the wind is coming from) are more likely to have rainfall, and biomes on the leeward side (away from the wind) are more likely to be dry.

2.  As altitude increases, temperature decreases.  So a mountain that is in a tropical location may have rainforest all around its base and lower reaches, while it has different biomes farther up the mountain ... even to the extent of having taiga or tundra-like biomes near the tree line.