The topography of an area influences its biology.
A person outdoors can determine which way points north by simply studying the slopes of the landscape around him. Although a north-facing slope and a south-facing slope may receive the same amount of precipitation, experience the same climate and possibly have identical soil composites, the two slopes will look very different.
Temperature
The differences between a north-facing slope and a south-facing slope relate to the angle at which the sun hits them. A south-facing slope will receive more direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day. As a result, south-facing slopes are warmer and drier. The snow melts faster in the spring, and the moisture leaves the ground quicker. In the Himalayas, north-facing slopes are much more glaciated because of this phenomenon.
Vegetation
The difference in temperature and soil moisture affects the kinds of plants that occur on the slopes. In most cases, the forest floor vegetation and other plants tend to be sparse on south-facing slopes because of the lack of moisture. The denser vegetation on northern slopes helps retain rainfall and snow melt longer, further enforcing the difference in soil moisture. South-facing slopes tend to have more shrubs, brushes and species of plants that are drought tolerant.
Soil Compostion
In some cases, the difference between north-facing slopes and south-facing slopes may be prevalent enough to include soil characteristics. A north-facing slope will tend to accumulate more organic material on its surface from the greater amounts of vegetation on the surface. The slope's relationship with the local prevailing wind direction will also affect soil makeup, as a slope facing a leeward wind will have more organic material deposited due to deceleration whereas a slope facing into the wind will have less surface soil.
Glaciers
Glaciers are also affected by the direction of slope. A north-facing slope is more likely to contain glaciers because of decreased sun exposure. Glaciers on south-facing slopes will tend to move quicker because of higher levels of melting. There are some instances, however, when precipitation patterns are more influential than slope. In Iceland, nonetheless, glaciers tend to form on the southwest side of mountains because they are generally wetter due to the weather patterns.
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