How do mountains affect the environment?

The Mountain Environment and Effects on World Climate Mountains have a profound influence on not only their local climate and immediate vicinity, but sometimes in areas a thousand or more miles away. This is due to the fact that mountains, jutting up into an otherwise orderly flow of winds around the globe, cause these winds to be lifted up, over and around the peaks and ridges. read more

Mountain ecosystem, complex of living organisms in mountainous areas. Mountain lands provide a scattered but diverse array of habitats in which a large range of plants and animals can be found. At higher altitudes harsh environmental conditions generally prevail, and a treeless alpine vegetation, upon which the present account is focused, is supported. read more

Mountains can make travel difficult. Mountains can be very difficult to cross. They are often rugged and filled with forests and wild animals, such as bears and wolves. They may have no natural 'passes,' or easy places to cross the mountains. read more