A wide variety of plants and animals find homes within Utah’s great range of elevations (more than 11,000 feet). Regardless of the precipitation, the environment is harsh, and most plants and animals have had to adapt to endure the challenging climate. To help simplify and understand the different environments, some scientists use the Merriam system of life zones, which offers a concise way to get an overview of Utah’s vegetation and animal life. Because plants subsist on rainfall, which is determined largely by elevation, each life zone can be identified with an elevation range. These ranges are not exact, however, due to the different rainfall patterns and evaporation rates.

Utah’s lowest elevations lie in the Lower Sonoran Life Zone (below 3,500 feet). This zone is found in the Mojave Desert, which extends into the southwest corner of the state. Most of Utah’s northern deserts and canyonlands are considered part of the Upper Sonoran Life Zone (3,500–5,500 feet). As rainfall increases near mountain ranges, the Transition Life Zone (5,500–8,000 feet) begins. The Transition Zone is best developed on the High Plateaus and the Uinta Mountains and less so in the Great Basin and the Wasatch Range. At successively higher elevations are the Canadian Life Zone (8,000–10,000 feet), the Hudsonian Life Zone (10,000–11,000 feet), and the Alpine Tundra Life Zone (above 11,000 feet).