Alpine Plant Life: Functional Plant Ecology of High Mountain Ecosystems

This book is a comprehensive revision of the physical and biological factors that drive life in high mountains, covering topics such as alpine plant life, climate, soils, snow, stress tolerance, treeline ecology, plant water, carbon, and nutrient relations, plant growth and productivity, developmental processes, and two novel chapters on alpine plant reproduction and global change biology. It explains why alpine biodiversity is particularly robust against climatic change due to the exposure of plants to dramatic micro-climatic gradients over short distances. Examples are drawn from all parts of the world, including the tropics, and the number of figures has nearly doubled, with many photographs providing a vivid impression of alpine plant life worldwide.

Format: Hardback
Length: 500 pages
Publication date: 01 April 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate physical and biological aspects that shape life in high mountain environments. It offers a revised and extensively expanded treatment of the diverse factors that contribute to the unique characteristics of these alpine ecosystems. The book encompasses a wide range of topics, including the distinctive features of alpine plant life, the intricate climate and soils of high mountains, the challenges of life under snow, the remarkable stress tolerance of alpine organisms, the ecology of the treeline, the complex relationships between plant water, carbon, and nutrients, plant growth and productivity, developmental processes, and two groundbreaking chapters on alpine plant reproduction and global change biology.

Through its detailed exploration, the book sheds light on why alpine biodiversity is remarkably resilient to climate change, particularly in the face of dramatic micro-climatic gradients over short distances. Geographically, this book draws upon examples from diverse regions around the world, including tropical environments. Moreover, it is complemented with novel evidence and insights that have emerged over the past 17 years of alpine plant research, further enhancing its value as a comprehensive resource.

The number of figures, predominantly in color, has nearly doubled in this edition, with numerous photographs providing a captivating glimpse into the diverse tapestry of alpine plant life across the globe. The book is authored by Christian Körner, a renowned botanist born in Austria in 1949. He received his academic training at the University of Innsbruck and held the position of full professor of Botany at the University of Basel from 1989 to 2014. Currently, as an emeritus professor, Körner continues his alpine plant research in the Swiss Alps, contributing to our understanding of these remarkable ecosystems.

Weight: 1248g
Dimension: 183 x 261 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030595371
Edition number: 3rd ed. 2021