What is alpine forest?

Alpine ecosystems extend beyond the typically envisioned high-elevation open slopes and summits of cold-adapted shrubs and herbs to include as well lithic environments of cliffs, talus fields, boulder fields and rock glaciers; permanent and persistent snow and icefields, including glaciers; and various water bodies ...

What is meant by Alpine forests?

The Alpine forests occur all along the Himalayas at altitudes ranging between 2,900 to 3,500 m or even up-to 3800 m above sea level, depending upon the location and the variety of species. These forests can be divided into: (1) sub-alpine; (2) moist alpine scrub and (3) dry alpine scrub.

Where is Alpine forest?

Depending on the location and variety of plants, Alpine forests can be found all over the Himalayas at altitudes ranging from 2,900 to 3,500 m or even up to 3800 m above sea level. Sub-alpine, moist alpine scrub, and dry alpine scrub are the three types of forests found in this region.

Why Alpine forest are called as Alpine?

Alpine derives from Latin word ''Alp'' meaning high mountain. It has well defined vegetation and characterized by absence of trees or dwarf trees. 8. Alpine Plants • Plants that grow in an alpine climate which occurs at high elevation and above the tree line.

What does Alpine area mean?

Quick Reference. A region that occurs above the tree-line and below the snow-line on temperate and tropical mountains. The vegetation is characterized by an absence of trees, and varies greatly with aspect, the greatest contrasts being between the wet side and the dry, leeward side of the mountains concerned.

Alpine Forest Walk - Tyrol, Austria

What is an Alpine habitat?

Alpine habitats are in the mountains above the area where trees grow. Special plants and animals have adapted to living in these harsh areas.

Why are Alpine forest important?

Forests act as a source of firewood in places where there is no supply of natural gas. Alpine forests are also used as fuelwood in highland areas. Similarly, coastal communities use mangroves or swamp trees as fuelwood.

What are the features of Alpine forest?

They include perennial grasses, sedges, Forbes, cushion plants, mosses, and lichens. Low temperatures, dryness, UV radiation, wind, drought, poor nutritional soil, and a short growing season are among the factors that Alpine plants have adapted to. These forests can be found at elevations ranging from 2800m to 4000m.

What is the importance of Alpine forest?

There main function is to prevent soil erosion. 5. Types of Forests Alpine Forests: These forest are called alpine because they grow in conditions similar to those in the Alps, a mountain range in Europe. Alpine forests are found on the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan.

What is Alpine forest India?

Alpine Forest

These grasslands start at an elevation of above 3000 m grow up to the region just below the snowline. They are common in both the main Himalayan regions as well as the barren cold deserts of the Tran Himalaya. Low alpine grasslands are common with the vegetation not growing higher than 1.5m.

What plants grow in the Alpine?

On the valley floors and lower slopes grow a variety of species of deciduous trees; these include linden, oak, beech, poplar, elm, chestnut, mountain ash, birch, and Norway maple. At higher elevations, however, the largest extent of forest is coniferous; spruce, larch, and a variety of pine are the main species.

What is Alpine vegetation found?

The Alpine vegetation is found at high altitudes, generally more than 3,600 metres above sea-level.

Where are the Alpines?

The Alpine region covers a territory of approximately 190 700 km² and encompasses eight European countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia and Switzerland.

What do you mean by alpine vegetation Class 9?

At altitude over 3600 meters, Alpine vegetation is found with trees like silver fir, jumpers etc. Some trees found in this region are Chir, Fir, Deodar, Maple, and Pine. In India, Himalayan portions of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Meghalaya etc. have this vegetation kind.

Where do alpines grow?

Alpines grow naturally in areas where temperatures fall very low in winter, so water tends to be frozen and inaccessible to them. As a result they have adapted to survive on very little water over winter.

What is Alpine system in geography?

Europe has several important mountain ranges. Irrespective of their geographical location, these areas share specific, regional features such as a relatively cold and harsh climate, high altitudes and a complex topography. As such, they provide very specific habitats to a rich biodiversity.

What is moist alpine forest?

Moist. Moist alpines are found all along the Himalayas and on the higher hills near the Myanmar border. It has a low scrub, dense evergreen forest, consisting mainly of rhododendron and birch. Mosses and ferns cover the ground in patches. This region receives heavy snowfall.

How do alpine plants survive?

Alpine plants may use many of the same adaptations as desert plants. For example, thick and waxy leaves with hairy stems help to protect from the strong winds. Some plants use their color as a survival tool. Anthocyanins are pigments that create red or blue and can convert light into heat to warm plant tissues!

What is alpine grassland?

Alpine grasslands, like the Alpine-steppe, are characterized by their intense radiation, with direct solar radiation periods averaging 2916 hours annually. The average temperature in this ecosystem is very low. For example, they may experience temperatures around −10 °C in winter, and 10 °C in summer.

What is the climate in the Alpine biome?

The Alpine biome is one of the coldest biomes in the world. It is so cold because of its high altitudes. Summer temperature range between -12 degrees Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius. The average precipitation is 30 cm a year.

What are mountain forests?

Mountain forests can be defined as forests on land with an elevation of 2 500 m above sea level or higher, irrespective of slope, or on land with an elevation of 300–2 500 m and a slope with sharp changes in elevation within a short distance.

How do you use Alpine in a sentence?

1. Our window looked out on a beautiful alpine scene. 2. Alpine valleys resonant with the sound of church bells.

What do you mean by Nordic?

1 : a native of northern Europe. 2 : a person of Nordic physical type. 3 : a member of the peoples of Scandinavia.