Landforms impact life in many ways. Landforms can divide a population, leading to evolution into 2 separate species. They also change the climate. Mountains create what is called a rain shadow, or area in which little to no rain falls. This creates arid climates such as deserts. The climate of places especially near the equator are arid, while places near the poles are tundra and polar. Animals (and plant life) must evolve to adapt to their environment.