| In mountain massifs, the richness of vascular plant
species is regularly greater than in the surrounding lowlands. This unit
shows the causes leading to this phenomenon. It further explains the formation
of endemic species as well as the nature of plant communities. Moreover,
an introduction to the most frequent plant communities above treeline
in the European Alps, including their habitat characteristics and floristic
composition, is given in form of a virtual excursion. Finally, the impact
of human activities and global climate warming on vascular plant species
richness in the alpine life zone are discussed.
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