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The high elevation low temperature limit of trees results from the tree's growth form (architecture), which does not permit the tree to decouple from the cool high altitude atmosphere as low stature alpine plants do. Thus, trees experience lower mean daytime temperatures than adjacent alpine heath vegetation. The low mean temperatures limit tissue formation despite sufficient or even overabundant availability of photoassimilates. |
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Part of this unit has been extracted from Körner Ch (2003) Alpine Plant Life: functional plant ecology of high mountain ecosystems. Springer, Berlin, chapter 7 Körner Ch (1998) A re-assessment of high elevation treeline positions and their explanation. Oecologia 115:445-459 Tranquillini W (1979) Physiological ecology of the alpine timberline. Ecol Stud 31. Springer, Berlin |
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Christian Körner, Thomas Zumbrunn |
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29 August 2011 |
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