A comprehensive textbook on the global treeline phenomenon; Provides a biological, mechanism-based explanation at a global scale; Each chapter starts with an introduction into the subject, terms and concepts; Includes an extensive reference list; Richly illustrated in colour; A companion book to Christian Körner’s Alpine Plant Life;
Alpine treelines mark the low-temperature limit of tree growth and occur in mountains world-wide. Presenting a companion to his book Alpine Plant Life, Christian Körner provides a global synthesis of the treeline phenomenon from sub-arctic to equatorial latitudes and a functional explanation based on the biology of trees. The comprehensive text approaches the subject in a multi-disciplinary way by exploring forest patterns at the edge of tree life, tree morphology, anatomy, climatology and, based on this, modelling treeline position, describing reproduction and population processes, development, phenology, evolutionary aspects, as well as summarizing evidence on the physiology of carbon, water and nutrient relations, and stress physiology. It closes with an account on treelines in the past (palaeo-ecology) and a section on global change effects on treelines, now and in the future. With more than 100 illustrations, many of them in colour, the book shows alpine treelines from around the globe and offers a wealth of scientific information in the form of diagrams and tables. From the reviews of the companion book Alpine Plant Life by Christian Körner (2nd ed. 2003) ; well written with plenty of good quality photographs, graphs and diagrams. It hits a happy compromise in being accessible to novices in upland areas and/or plants but with sufficient depth to leave the reader feeling that they have got to grips with the topic. ... A superb textbook that should be read and used by all ecology students.’ High elevation treelines ; The task ; Previous works ; Definitions and conventions ; The life form ‘tree’ ; Lines and transitions ; Limitation, stress and disturbance ; Altitude-related and other environmental drivers ; Treeline nomenclature ; Treeline patterns ; Treeline taxa ; The summit syndrome and other treeline depressions ; Mass elevation effect ; Treeline elevation ; Time matters ; Forest structure near treeline ; Treeline climate ; Specific aspects of treeline climatology ; Criteria to define temperature regimes at treeline ; Treeline temperatures in different bioclimatic regions ; Subarctic and boreal zone (45–68_ N) ; Cool temperate zone (45–47_ N, 44_ S) ; Warm temperate zone (28–42_ N, 36_ S) ; Subtropical zone (19_ S, 19_ N) ; Equatorial tropics (6_ N to 3_ S) ; Mediterranean ‘treelines’ (38–42_ N) ; The Nothofagus and Metrosideros case ; Treeline temperatures across bioclimatic zones ; Seedbed and branch temperatures ; Whole forest temperatures High elevation treelines ; The task ; Previous works ; Definitions and conventions ; The life form ‘tree’ ; Lines and transitions ; Limitation, stress and disturbance ; Altitude-related and other environmental drivers ; Treeline nomenclature ; Treeline patterns ; Treeline taxa ; The summit syndrome and other treeline depressions ; Mass elevation effect ; Treeline elevation ; Time matters ; Forest structure near treeline ; Treeline climate ; Specific aspects of treeline climatology ; Criteria to define temperature regimes at treeline ; Treeline temperatures in different bioclimatic regions ; Subarctic and boreal zone (45–68_ N) ; Cool temperate zone (45–47_ N, 44_ S) ; Warm temperate zone (28–42_ N, 36_ S) ; Subtropical zone (19_ S, 19_ N) ; Equatorial tropics (6_ N to 3_ S) ; Mediterranean ‘treelines’ (38–42_ N) ; The Nothofagus and Metrosideros case ; Treeline temperatures across bioclimatic zones ; Seedbed and branch temperatures ; Whole forest temperatures ; Global mountain statistics based on treeline elevation ; Mountain geostatistics ; Elevational ; Global treeline ecotones ; Structure and stature of treeline trees ; Foliage properties ; Wood properties ; Bark properties ; Root traits ; Tree stature ; Dry matter allocation in treeline trees ; Growth and development . ; Tree growth near the treeline ; In situ growth of seedlings ; In situ growth of saplings and adult trees ; Xylogenesis at the treeline ; In situ cambial activity ; Apical growth dynamics ; Root growth ; Phenology at the treeline ; Evolutionary adjustments to life at the treeline ; Phylogenetic ; Genotypic responses of growth and development ; Genotypic responses of physiological traits ; Reproduction, early life stages and tree demography ; Amount and quality of seeds at high elevation ; Germination, seedling and sapling stage ; Tree demography at the treeline ; Freezing and other forms of stress ; Stress at the treeline in a fitness context ; Mechanisms and principles of freezing resistance ; Freezing resistance in treeline trees ; Other forms of stress at the treeline ; Freeze-thaw cycles and hydraulic failure ; Winter desiccation ; Water, nutrient and carbon relations ; Tree water relations during the growing ; Nutrient relations ; Carbon relations ; Treeline formation - currently, in the past and in the future ; Causes of current treelines ; Treelines in the recent past ; Treelines in the distant past (Holocene) ; Treelines in the future Alpine Stufe ; Waldgrenze ; Pflanzenökologie ; Online-Publikation ; Life sciences ; Plant Ecology ; Forests and forestry ; Trees ; Plant physiology ; Climatic changes ; Ecology
