The biosphere effects the appearance of the Rocky Mountains, more than anything else. It plays a minor role in shaping the mountains through mechanical weathering. This occurs when the roots of trees break away the rocks around them as they grow and creep into the cracks of rocks and expand (picture at right).
The biosphere effects more of the appearance of the park because when animals transport things, or create things, it can change the look of the mountains in a number of different ways. For example, as a herd of elk move through a large areas of trees, they tend to rub their antlers against the bark, killing or severely damaging the trees, and changing the whole appearance of the area (photo at left of elk exclosure to prevent elk from damaging trees). Also, as the herd continues to move, they trample over tall grass, flattening the grass to the ground, and at the same time, eating the grass, until there's nothing left in it's place but dirt.
Another large example that dramatically
changes the appearance of vast amounts of forests are pine beetles. As they spread, the kill several trees from the inside out, turned them from deep greens, to dull oranges and browns, a change visble from a great distance away (picture at right). Smaller examples of the biosphere effecting the appearance of the mountains are animals digging up the earth creating burrows, such as rabbits or ground hogs. Birds can transport seeds from one place to another, occasionally dropping them, allowing plants to grow in various areas. Also, beavers build there dams that slow roaring rivers down to calm rushing streams, changing the look of the river from dangerous to steady.
In addition, humans play a role in the impact of the biosphere. Humans cut down trees for use, altering the appearance of the Rockies. Also, humans build structures that can change the appearance of the mountains, as well as the shaping of the mountains. For instance, we alter the appearance of thethe Rockies when we build ekl exclosures, to regrow trees killed by elk (photo above). Humans change the shaping of the mountains by building dams, stopping river flow, causing the weathering and erosion of valleys and mountain sides to no longer occur.
