Subalpine

The term subalpine refers to the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth.

Trees in subalpine zone often become krummholz (crooked wood, stunted and twisted). At treeline, 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. The resulting low growth of dense trees is called krummholz. 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. [cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/romo/naturescience/subalpine_ecosystem.htm|title=Subalpine ecosystem|work=Rocky Mountain National Park|publisher=U.S. National Park Service]

ee also

ubalpine species

*Bristlecone pine
*Craspedia
*Dactylorhiza viridis
*Dracophyllum
*Erysimum baeticum
*Foxtail pine
*Limber pine
*Mountain Hemlock
*Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir
*Subalpine fir
*Subalpine Fleabane
*Subalpine Larch
*Subalpine warbler
*Vipera dinniki
*Whitebark pine
*White-tailed ptarmigan

Examples of subalpine zones

*Australian Alps montane grasslands
*Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
*Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
*Hengduan Mountains subalpine conifer forests
*Montane grasslands and shrublands
*Sierra Nevada subalpine zone
*Rocky Mountains subalpine zone

Related articles

*Climate of the Alps
*Tree line

References