Montane ecosystems
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial factor in shaping plant community, biodiversity, metabolic processes and ecosystem dynamics for montane ecosystems.[1] Dense montane forests are common at moderate elevations, due to moderate temperatures and high rainfall. At higher elevations, the climate is harsher, with lower temperatures and higher winds, preventing the growth of trees and causing the plant community to transition to montane grasslands and shrublands or alpine tundra. Due to the unique climate conditions of montane ecosystems, they contain increased numbers of endemic species. Montane ecosystems also exhibit variation in ecosystem services, which include carbon storage and water supply.[2]
Life zones
As elevation increases, the
One of the typical life zones on mountains is the montane forest: at moderate elevations, the rainfall and temperate climate encourages dense forests to grow.
Above the tree line the ecosystem is called the alpine zone or
Climates with biotemperatures below 1.5 °C (35 °F) tend to consist purely of rock and ice.[5]
Montane forests
Montane forests occur between the
The lower bound of the montane zone may be a "lower timberline" that separates the montane forest from drier steppe or desert region.[8]
Montane forests differ from lowland forests in the same area.[10] The climate of montane forests is colder than lowland climate at the same latitude, so the montane forests often have species typical of higher-latitude lowland forests.[11] Humans can disturb montane forests through forestry and agriculture.[10] On isolated mountains, montane forests surrounded by treeless dry regions are typical "sky island" ecosystems.[12]
Temperate climate
Montane forests in temperate climate are typically one of
Montane forests in temperate climate occur in Europe (the
Climate change is predicted to affect temperate montane forests. For example, in the Pacific Northwest of North America, climate change may cause "potential reduced snowpack, higher levels of evapotranspiration, increased summer drought" which will negatively affect montane wetlands.[18]
Mediterranean climate
Montane forests in
This type of forest is found in the
]Subtropical and tropical climate
In the tropics, montane forests can consist of
Tropical montane forests might exhibit high sensitivity to climate change.
Subalpine zone
The subalpine zone is the
Trees in the subalpine zone often become krummholz, that is, crooked wood, stunted and twisted in form. At tree line, tree seedlings may germinate on the lee side of rocks and grow only as high as the rock provides wind protection. Further growth is more horizontal than vertical, and additional rooting may occur where branches contact the soil. Snow cover may protect krummholz trees during the winter, but branches higher than wind-shelters or snow cover are usually destroyed. Well-established krummholz trees may be several hundred to a thousand years old.[34]
Example subalpine zones around the world include the French Prealps in Europe, the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountain subalpine zones in North America, and subalpine forests in the eastern Himalaya, western Himalaya, and Hengduan mountains of Asia.
Alpine grasslands and tundra
Alpine grasslands and tundra lie above the tree line, in a world of intense radiation, wind, cold, snow, and ice. As a consequence, alpine vegetation is close to the ground and consists mainly of
Plants have adapted to the harsh alpine environment.
The adaptations for survival of drying winds and cold may make tundra vegetation seem very hardy, but in some respects the tundra is very fragile. Repeated footsteps often destroy tundra plants, leaving exposed soil to blow away, and recovery may take hundreds of years.[37]
Alpine meadows form where sediments from the weathering of rocks has produced soils well-developed enough to support grasses and sedges. Alpine grasslands are common enough around the world to be categorized as a
The most extensive montane grasslands and shrublands occur in the
]Where conditions are drier, one finds montane grasslands, savannas, and woodlands, like the Ethiopian Highlands, and montane steppes, like the steppes of the Tibetan Plateau.[citation needed]
See also
- Forest ecology
- Tree line
- Temperate coniferous forests
- Ecology of the Rocky Mountains
- Sierra Nevada lower montane forest
- East African montane forests
- Afromontane, a series of high-elevation regions in Africa
- California montane chaparral and woodlands, an ecoregion.
- Angolan montane forest-grassland mosaic, an ecoregion.
- Australian Alps montane grasslands, an ecoregion.
- South Western Ghats montane rain forests, an ecoregion
- Polonyna (montane meadow)
- Altitudinal zonation
- Biome
References
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- ^ Blyth, S.; Groombridge, B.; Lysenko, I.; Miles, L.; Newton, A. (2002). "Mountain Watch" (PDF). UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 May 2008.
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- ^ Stokstad, Erik (30 July 2020). "Many beloved garden flowers originated in this mountain hot spot—the oldest of its kind on Earth". Science | AAAS. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
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- ^ Rundel, P.W.; D. J. Parsons; D. T. Gordon (1977). "Montane and subalpine vegetation of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges". In Barbour, M.G.; Major, J. (eds.). Terrestrial vegetation of California. New York, USA: Wiley. pp. 559–599.
- ^ a b Nagy, László; Grabherr, Georg (2009). The biology of alpine habitats. Oxford University Press.
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- ^ McKenzie, Neil (2004). Australian Soils and Landscapes. p. 98.
- ^ Gold, W. (28 January 2008). "BIS258 lecture notes" (PDF). University of Washington. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
- ^ "Subalpine ecosystem". Rocky Mountain National Park. U.S. National Park Service.
- ^ "Tuolumne Meadows and Tioga Road". Yosemite National Park. US National Park Service. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ This article incorporates public domain material from Grassland Habitat Group (PDF). Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2008.
- ^ a b This article incorporates public domain material from "Alpine Tundra Ecosystem". Rocky Mountain National Park. National Park Service.
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- ^ Whitesel, Todd (2006). "Lichens: two lives in one" (PDF). Minnesota Conservation Volunteer.
External links
- Media related to Montane ecology at Wikimedia Commons
- Tree cover map for mountain forests – UNEP Map 2011