1. What are typical alpine habitats? Characterise these habitats. Which animals live in the particular habitats? How are they adapted to these habitats?
   Typical apine habitats are grassland steppes, boulder fields, rockfaces, waters like streams, ponds, fens. For further details see: and following pages.
    
2. How do the reviewed mountain regions differ one from another?
   See selected mountains
    
3. Which factors influence the species composition in the particular mountain regions?
   The species composition depends on the available habitats and the formation/ colonisation histories of the mountains.
    
4. What is the function of snow as ecological factor?
   Snow determines food availability for large herbivores. Snow can serve as isolation. Snow is a large water reservoir for plant growth in spring.
    
5. What possibilities other than hibernation exist to overcome food shortage?
   Live under snow, migration, food stocking, organ reduction, reducing activity
    
6. Which morphological adaptations to the cold can be found in invertebrates?
   Reduced body size, wing antropy, pubescence
   For further details see: invertebrate adaptations
    

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29 August 2011
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