earth-phenomenon:

Moray – The Incan Agricultural Laboratory

It is believed that the Incas used Moray as an agricultural laboratory. By using their knowledge of the sun, wind, altitude, and irrigation, each step, about 3m/10ft tall, represents a temperature change of about 0.5 degrees Celcius/1 degree Fahrenheit.In the end, there can be about a 15C/27F degree temperature change between the bottom step and the top step at the site.The Incas used this to mix different seeds and plants together to find the optimal growing conditions for certain plants. And it succeeded as during the Inca times there were about twice as many varieties of corn and potatoes as there are today.