The thermal floors They are the different bands defined by the altitude in a mountain where there are variations in temperature and other elements of the climate. In this case, the determining climatic factor is altitude above sea level and the main element affected is temperature..
Therefore, the thermal floors define the climatic variations that occur in mountainous areas. In addition, the relief also affects precipitation, since moisture-laden winds collide with the mountains and rise.
These thermal floors are really appreciated in the intertropical zone, while in temperate zones they are poorly defined, because the temperature in temperate and cold zones is more affected by annual variations in solar radiation..
In this context, the variations in altitude define significant variations in temperature that establish at least 5 thermal floors, the lowest being the warm floor, then the temperate, cold, paramo and icy floors. For each one, an amplitude of variation of the height and temperature is determined, as well as other associated characteristics..
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The differentiation in floors or altitudinal levels with defined temperature ranges is clearly expressed in the intertropical zone. While in the temperate zone, although the temperature also decreases with altitude, the effect is not so marked.
This is due to the fact that in temperate zones there are other more determining factors such as latitude, which influences the solar radiation that is received according to the orientation of the slope. While in the tropics, given the permanent and almost uniform incidence of solar radiation, it affects the effect of winds and rains..
The air is heated by heat from the ground (long-wave radiation), which is heated by solar radiation (short-wave). In such a way that the temperature in the troposphere or lower atmosphere is higher at ground level and decreases as it rises..
In fact, the average temperature decreases approximately 0.65 to 1 ° C for every 100 m that the altitude increases..
Mountains and their altitude also affect winds and rainfall, which adds to the characteristics of thermal floors. This is because if a high mountain intervenes in the path of the moisture-laden winds, they rise.
In this ascent if the altitude is high, the winds cool down and the humidity condenses causing precipitation. In the higher mountains, when the winds manage to overcome them, they discharge the humidity to the windward side (facing the wind) and the leeward slope (against the direction of the wind) will be drier.
On the other hand, higher humidity promotes more vegetation, which in turn affects the temperature.
The position of a land area with respect to the equator affects the incidence of solar radiation throughout the year, in such a way that in the intertropical strip it is uniform. No matter in what position around the Sun the Earth is, the tropical zone always receives its radiation.
While at higher latitudes, either north or south, this does not occur, due to the inclination of the earth's axis. That is why in the most extreme latitudes (the poles), the altitude does not substantially alter the temperature because there is low solar radiation..
It must be taken into consideration that depending on the authors, between 5 or 6 thermal floors are indicated in the intertropical zone. The fundamental difference is in whether or not an additional floor located between 900 and 1,700 meters above sea level is recognized, called premontane or semi-warm.
It has high temperatures, in the range of 28 ° C average at its lower limit (sea level), and 24 ° C at 900 or 1,000 meters above sea level. In this thermal floor the ecosystems of tropical rain forest, deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, savannas as well as arid and semi-arid areas are presented..
This depends both on the latitude within the intertropical strip, and on factors such as winds and the proximity of the oceans. For example, in the coastal plains the humidity is carried away by the marine winds inland, making them drier..
While the lowlands located on the equator receive large amounts of rain due to the confluence of humid winds from both hemispheres. On the other hand, in these low regions when presenting high temperatures there is greater evapotranspiration and greater humidity available for precipitation..
In some systems this floor is ignored, including it within the temperate floor, which is located between 900 and 1,700 or 2,000 meters above sea level. It reaches an average temperature between 24 and 18 ° C.
At these altitudes, low mountain cloud forests are formed, and orographic rain occurs. This means that the ascending air masses condense forming clouds and producing rain..
The prefix "meso" means medium, alluding to what is considered temperatures between hot and cold. This floor is located between 1,000 and 2,000 meters above sea level. if the previous floor is not recognized.
On the contrary, if the existence of a premontane floor is recognized as valid, then the temperate floor would be between 2,000 and 2,500 meters above sea level. Its average temperatures are between 18 and 15 ° C, reaching 24 ° C as the maximum limit if the premontane floor is also ruled out..
At these altitudes the high cloud forests are formed and in subtropical latitudes like in the north of Mexico, the coniferous forests. The phenomenon of orographic rain and horizontal rains also occurs..
This is a floor with low temperatures, on average 15 or 17 ° C to 8 ° C, because it is in an altitude range between 2,000 or 2,500 up to 3,000 or 3,400 meters above sea level. Here the limit of trees is reached, that is, the maximum height at which this form of life develops.
Only species of the genus Polylepis grow above the limit. In the upper limit, the low night temperatures reach the freezing point, which limits the availability of water and the solar radiation increases.
This thermal band occurs above 3,400 or 3,800 meters above sea level and below 4,000 or 4,500 meters above sea level. Temperatures drop from an average 12 or 8 ° C, reaching up to 5 ° C and even 0 ° C.
On the other hand, night temperatures reach freezing and there is even precipitation in the form of snow; therefore, although in some cases there is enough precipitation, the availability of water can be a limiting factor..
This occurs mainly in the highest and driest areas such as the Puna in the Bolivian and Peruvian highlands, due to the high altitude and being surrounded by mountains. Thus, they are very dry areas, since the winds that arrive there have already discharged all their moisture on the road.
It is located above 4,000 or 4,800 meters above sea level and corresponds to the perpetual snow zone. Therefore, the precipitations are in the form of snow and the low temperatures prevent their melting despite the high solar radiation..
Being located very close to the equator and having a mountainous relief, in Colombia thermal floors are clearly manifested. In this country there is an altitude gradient that goes from sea level to 5,775 meters above sea level..
In Colombia, 5 thermal floors are generally recognized, that is, the premontane floor is not considered.
This is the floor that covers the largest area in Colombia, since it includes the entire coastal plain of the Caribbean and the Pacific, plains of the Orinoco basin and the plain of the Amazon basin..
It also includes the valleys of the Magdalena, Cauca, Cesar, Catatumbo rivers, among others, all lands between 0 and 1,000 meters above sea level. Average temperatures are above 24 ° C, various types of vegetation develop and many are for agricultural purposes.
These are the dry forest lands of the Caribbean coast, the plains of the Orinoco, and the warm rainforests of the Amazon. On the other hand, this thermal floor is suitable for the cultivation of cocoa, sugar cane, coconut, cotton, bananas, yucca, pineapple, mango, among others..
In Colombia it is located in the Andean mountain ranges, including the Sierra de Santa Marta and the Sierra de La Macarena, between 1,000 and 2,000 meters above sea level. Average annual temperatures are between 17 and 24 ° C and the vegetation includes tropical mountain forests and scrublands.
While agricultural and livestock activity involves livestock and crops such as coffee, emblematic for this country, as well as corn and different fruit trees.
This floor includes the areas of the mountain ranges between 2,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level in the Andean mountain ranges, including the Sierra de Santa Marta. Temperatures range from 17 ° C to 12 ° C and feature mountain jungles, including high cloud forest.
While in this thermal floor, livestock is practiced and potatoes, vegetables, corn and other cereals are grown, as well as fruit trees such as tree tomato, blackberry and curuba.
Since this floor is located between 3,000 and 4,000 meters above sea level, it is only found in the highest parts of the Andean mountain ranges. There is an average annual temperature between 12 and 5 ° C and the vegetation is low, as this strip is located above the tree line.
However, there are groves of the only tree species that exceeds the limit, the yagual (Polylepis spp.). It is mainly shrubs and grasslands, where the genus is characteristic Espeletia (frailejones).
This floor is fundamentally dedicated to the conservation of water sources, although some species such as potatoes, vegetables, varieties of wheat and beans are grown..
This is the highest floor, being defined from 4,000 meters above sea level, restricted to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the Nevado del Cocuy and some peaks of the three main mountain ranges. No type of productive activity is developed, beyond high mountain tourism.
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