Sep 27 2019
The absence of trees at high-elevations both defines Alpine zones and is fundamental to their unique habitat. Above the treeline, low-temperatures and high-winds exclude nearly all woody plants creating an exposed and unshadowed landscape that is home to a new variety of specialized organisms. In the United States, this line follows approximately where average summer temperatures are 50°F (10°C). Scientists have already observed movement of the treeline towards Northern latitudes and higher altitudes on mountain slopes in response to climate warming. While this trend may have positive implications for the growth of new forest, it will undoubtedly have an impact upon Alpine summits, which are already highly restricted in their geographic range and connectivity.
One way of tracking the movement of tree populations over long periods of time is through looking at herbarium specimens and their records of location and altitude for different plant species. This specimen of Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), a species known for infiltrating Alpine zones, provides important evidence of this species’ recent existence at one high-elevation site in Colorado.
