Altitudinal zonation

Height steps describe in ecology, botany and geography the expression of the flora and fauna of an area as a function of height above the sea level. The vegetation has become established as an indicator because it is easier to map, therefore we also speak of levels of vegetation. Under climatological point of view is called the height of air breakdown level or climatic zone height. For the summary rough outline using the expression level belt.

The scientific description of the global geo and local altitudinal began with the explorations of the early modern period. At the height steps here was Konrad Gesner in the first place, the middle of the 16th century by his description of the vertical zoning of Mount Pilatus on Lake Lucerne ( Switzerland ) became famous. Furthermore, Alexander von Humboldt applies for höhenstufige outline of the Andes as a major developer, as well as Carl Troll.

Basics

With the high levels of the biological communities change occurring ascending primarily by the decreasing length of the growing period, but also by increasing temperature variations, illumination changes, ultraviolet radiation, etc.

Since the growing season is determined by day length and temperature, the Höhenstufungen are also dependent on latitude and large climate. In the tropics, the equivalent altitude levels are much higher than in Central Europe.

The mosaic zonal, azonal and extrazonaler vegetation units goes into other plant communities with increasing altitude. In such an overlay is also called expression.

At higher altitudes, the zonal vegetation is increasingly transferred in extrazonale vegetation units.

As a leading company, are generally forest communities usual because they produce a relatively stable foundation that is not subject to short-term climate fluctuations.

The height levels

Classic is the height steps outline of the Alps, but has undergone some changes in the history of research. In order to meet the significantly different elevation zones of other mountains just as well in non- German literature, there are some totally different classifications.

General widespread are the expressions low position ( valley ), middle and high location - which are reflected in the terms about ecumenism, Subökumene and Anökumene. Boundary between medium and high position is the tree line generally. A more generally applicable limit results from the respective Frost or snow line.

Alpine and Mountain

From the traditional Alpine Research are terms that - are now applied more generally, but with regionally appropriate heights - originally submitted for the Alps.

Even within the Alps, these zones depending on latitude and continentality in somewhat different altitude and move also within the Alps or in storage locations. Together is the typical, albeit regionally specific sequence that can be identified through general indicators.

Mediterranean space

For the Mediterranean region, which is characterized by many endemic plants and species-rich subtropical sclerophyllous vegetation Biozönösen, park-like nemoraler coniferous forest, drought- adapted shrubs and geophytenreicher dry grassland formations to own Höhenstufungsterminologie has prevailed.

In the classical Mediterranean this is first between north- Mediterranean transition zones with lower Mediterranean and upper alpine altitudinal (eg South and Maritime Alps ), eu - Mediterranean zonation (eg Pindos, Südapennin, Sierra Nevada), and the dry mountains of North - Africa (Atlas) and the Near East (Lebanon, Taurus ) with xeromediterraner lower level distinction. On the other hand, a distinction between historical flore Western Mediterranean, central Mediterranean as well as ostmediterraner vertical zoning, since the individual mountains form, by a different Flore inventory, even highly conflicting altitude levels. Thus, the typical arid thorn cushion stage occurs (even Mediterranean thorn cushion - rock Heath called with Acantholimon and Astracantha ) in the atlas, the Sierra Nevada, Taurus, southern Italy and Crete, but missing, for example in the Greek Pindos, the Dinaric Alps and the Apennines and Corsica. The spine pad level is embodied typical alti - kryomediterran, and occurs, for example in Crete 1500-2456 meters in the Taurus 1700-2700 meters and the High Atlas 2400-3500 meters on.

The tree line is always formed in Mediterranean mountains of drought-resistant conifers; these typical oromediterranen dry forests at the tree line are in the Südostdinariden of the endemic xero - basophilic snakeskin pine, in the Pindus also Numidian with the Greek fir, in the Sierra Nevada from the Spanish fir, as well as in the Taurus and Atlas of the Cilician fir, fir and cedar of Lebanon and Atlas cedar formed.

As an example, the eu - Mediterranean altitudinal zonation of Orjen in the littoral ( coastal ) Südostdinariden is illustrated.

Classification for:

Corsica: up to 150 m ( in sunny slopes; Schatt in layers up to 100 m or even absent): thermo- Mediterranean level; to 900 m ( Schatt documents: up to 600-700 ): mesomediterrane stage; 800-1000 to 1200-1350 m ( Schatt layers: 500-700 to 900-1000 m): supra- Mediterranean level; 1300-1800 m ( Schatt documents: 900-1000 to 1600 m): montane zone; 1700-1800 to 2200 m (only in sunny slopes, and in Shatt documents missing): cryo- oromediterrane stage; 1400-1600 to 2100 m ( the cryo- stage oromediterrane in Shatt documents replacing ): subalpine zone; over 2100 m: alpine zone.
Iberian Peninsula (annual mean temperature and fluctuation and minimum temperature): thermo- Mediterranean > 16 ° ( 30 ° / 10 ° ); mesomediterran: 16 ° -12 ° ( 30 ° / 0 ° ); oromediterran: 8 ° -4 ° (min -3 ° / -6 ° ); kryomediterran <4 ° ( min < -6 °). These criteria should be used for the vertical zoning, which greatly varies by the Atlantic- Mediterranean mixed layer.

Other parts of the world

The height levels of the Andes: Classical classification (heights for tropical latitudes ): Tierra Caliente ( " hot land"), Tierra Templada ( " temperate land") from 1000 to 2000 m, Tierra Fria ( " cold land") 2000-3500 m, Tierra Helada ( " cold land ") from the tree line, Tierra Nevada ( " snow country " ) from the snowline at about 5000 m
By Vidal: Chala ( West, Pacific Coast ) 0-500 m, Omagua ( Eastern Amazonia ) 80-400 m, Rupa - Rupa 400-1000 m ( east side ), Lomas ( west side ) 450-600 m, and Yungas ( east side ) 1000-2300 m, Quechua ( east side ) 2300-3500 m, Suni, Jalca or Sallqa 3500-4000 m, 4000-4800 m Puna, Janca about 4800 m

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