In the fruit and vegetable product industry, chlorine is commonly used to remove microbes such as bacteria and mold from produce. In the home, a water wash, either with or without the help of a produce brush, is typically used to clean fruits and vegetables.
57 ALPINE ZONE The alpine zone occurs in high mountain areas where the mean annual precipitation is above 41 inches and the RET is the lowest in the state (Figure 7.6). These areas occur above the upper timber line. The vegeta-tion consists mainly of small cushion plants on rocky slopes.
Mammals of the Alpine Life Zone. Most animals in the alpine only live there during the short alpine summer. The alpine grasses and flowers provide abundant food for elk, deer, and other small animals. Their predators, like mountain lions, coyotes, and red foxes, follow them up too. The cold windy and snowy weather forces them to move down to the lower elevations by September. There are only a few animals that can live there most of the year (mountain goats, mountain bighorn sheep, american pika, and yellow-bellied marmot).