Question

Which of the following environmental conditions becomes harsher as altitude increases on a mountain slope?

Options

• Solar radiation decreases while humidity increases

• Temperature decreases, and climatic conditions become more variable

• Temperature increases, and climatic conditions become more stable

• Precipitation increases uniformly at all altitudes

Answer 1

As altitude increases, temperature decreases and climatic conditions become increasingly variable. Higher altitudes experience harsher environmental conditions with greater seasonal variation and reduced productivity, making survival difficult for many species and explaining the decrease in species richness with elevation.