<P> Cushion plants have long taproots that extend deep into the rocky soil . Their diminutive size, like clumps of moss, limits the effect of harsh winds . Many flowering plants of the tundra have dense hairs on stems and leaves to provide wind protection or red - colored pigments capable of converting the sun's light rays into heat . Some plants take two or more years to form flower buds, which survive the winter below the surface and then open and produce fruit with seeds in the few weeks of summer . Grasses and sedges are common where tundra soil is well - developed . </P> <P> Non-flowering lichens cling to rocks and soil . Their enclosed algal cells can photosynthesize at any temperature above 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 ° C), and the outer fungal layers can absorb more than their own weight in water . Adaptations for survival amidst drying winds and cold temperatures may make tundra vegetation seem very hardy, but in some respects it remains very fragile . Footsteps can destroy tundra plants and it may take hundreds of years to recover . Mammals that live on the alpine tundra, or visit during the summer season, include bighorn sheep, elk, badgers, pikas, yellow - bellied marmots, and snowshoe hares . Birds include prairie falcons, white - tailed ptarmigans, and common ravens . Flowering plants include mertensia, sky pilot, alpine sunflowers, alpine dwarf columbine, and alpine forget - me - not . Grasses include kobresia, spike trisetum, spreading wheatgrass, and tufted hairgrass . </P> <P> The riparian ecosystem runs through the montane, subalpine, and alpine tundra zones and creates a foundation for life, especially for species that thrive next to streams, rivers, and lakes . The headwaters of the Colorado River, which provides water to many of the southwestern states, are located on the west side of the park . The Fall River, Cache la Poudre River and Big Thompson Rivers are located on the east side of the park . Just like the other ecosystems in the park, the riparian zone is affected by the climatic variables of temperature, precipitation, and elevation . Generally, riparian zones in valleys will have cooler temperatures than communities located on slopes and ridge tops . Depending on elevation, a riparian zone may have more or less precipitation than other riparian zones in the park, with the difference creating a shift in the types of plants and animals found in a specific zone . </P> <P> Rocky Mountain National Park is home to many species of animals, including nearly 70 mammals and almost 300 species of birds . This diversity is due to the park's varying topography, which creates a variety of habitats . However, some species have been extirpated from the park, including the gray wolf, the wolverine, the grizzly bear, and the American bison . </P>

The land that became rocky mountain national park was previously under the jurisdiction of