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- Are abiotic factors in the alpine environment more important in determining
vegetation patterns than in most lowland environments? If so - why?
Answer: Yes, the abiotic factors play a very important
role for various reasons:
Relatively low temperature restricts many life processes.
Altitudinal gradients and differences between aspects are often more
pronounced than in lowland environments.
The abiotic environment is strongly affected by a wide range of disturbances.
- What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?
Why is secondary succession in the alpine environment often part of
a cyclic process?
Answer: In primary succession, vegetation development
has to start anew, from soil development and propagules arriving in
the area. In secondary succession, vegetation development is initiated
by plant fragments and propagules that remain in the habitat.
In alpine environments, many vegetation types are characterised by by
responses to recurring disturbances. Following such disturbances, succession
proceeds until the next disturbance occurs.
- Why is colonization more difficult in the alpine environment than
in the lowlands?
Answer: Flowering and seed set are dependent on favourable
conditions during one or even several growing seasons. Seedling establishment
often is restricted to favourable microsites.
- Why is facilitation generally more pronounced with increasing altitude?
Answer: With increasing altitude the harshness of
the environment increases. Therefore, reproduction, seedling establishment
and general plant growth depend increasingly on the ameliorating effect
of the neighbourhood of other plants.
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