95 - Treeline ecotones

Classification des habitats du Paléarctique (2001)

Description

Formations of the timberline, or combat zone (Kampfzone, zone de combat) of mountains, in which subalpine forests give way to alpine or boreal heaths and scrubs, to alpine grasslands, or to tropical alpine communities; they are characterized by a scattering of stunted, gnarled trees punctuating an alpine shrub or grassland environment, by a macromosa‹c of alpine shrub and grass formations with scattered islands of forest, or by open or clear forest with an undergrowth composed of alpine elements such as ericaceous shrubs. They occupy a narrow belt, varying in altitudinal location according to latitude, exposure and other climatic or edaphic conditions. Detailed habitats can be coded by combining subdivisions of prefixes 31, 36, 37, 3C, 41, 42, 43 or 49 with the relevant physiographic subdivisions of 95.

Bibliography

Devillers P., Devillers-Terschuren J. & Vander Linden C., 2001. PHYSIS Palaearctic Habitat Classification Database. Updated to 10 December 2001. Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles, Bruxelles. (Source)

Ozenda, 1985: 200.