Timberline Vegetation on Mountains

Sometimes you observe a forest suddenly turns into a treeless tundra on the top of the mountain slope. This change seems a totally unrealistic. But it happens. About a ten meters distance from the normal forest, the tress starts disappearing and converts into a small herbs, grasses and stemless plants. This action of typical transition is known as upper timberline or a tree line. That separates a tree area from the rest of the treeless area. Sometimes we notice another area called lower timberline. This is the area where the forest turns into a desert. No traces of tree life. This happens due to the lack of moisture in that area.

If we talk about the location of that timberline, the upper timberlines located at the top of the tropical area and at the lower point of the polar ice caps. It ranges from thousands of the meters from the lower polar region to the highest moist tropical regions. Timberlines tress are very herbaceous and looks green other than those trees who shed their leaves in every season. It makes them more favorable for the hot tropical region as it plays a major role in climate development. The upper timberlines makes a dry tropical area a very cool area and the amount of rain fall is high in those places as compared to lower timber lands.

Factors affecting the growth of trees at Upper timberline:

Trees of upper timberline grows and become twisted. This is normal for the growth of plants that used to grow on higher altitudes. There is no proper explanation for such transition. Scientist are unable to draw some conclusions. Many leading factors may affect this transition. Like temperature.

Temperature:

Temperature always have a major role in everything around us. Too much snow sometimes destroy the tress and directly affect their rooting. In this trees become not able to grow properly in that area. Snow also proves a resistance to their growing season. Stops trees from seedling and ultimately the downfall of trees.

Wind:

Secondly, wind is a main factor to stops trees from growing in higher altitudes. We know that the wind has high pressure in high altitude areas. This winds deform the shapes of the trees and weakens their strength to stand a place.

Ultraviolet Light:

Some scientist believe that the presence of ultraviolet rays in the higher altitudes may be an other reason of the reduction of timberline. They put forward a theory, when we moves at higher altitudes, the harmful radiations starts dominating. These radiations affects the tissues and cells of the plants. These radiations are partially consider the reason that enhance the treeless timberline but obviously the main factor is the temperature.

Grazing Animals:

Another possible reasons may include grazing animals. At higher altitudes plants are the main source of food for the grazing animals. Animals like ibex feed on plants to meet their needs. So some scientist consider it a contributing factor.

These are not universally agreed reason for the explanation of upper timberline. Above the tree line, there is another area called alpine tundra also present. This area is also covered by so many different species of grasses, herbs and occasional mosses with lichens. Some plants are even survive such conditions and they are located at much higher altitude than the upper timberline. The main characteristics of the alpine tundra is their slow growth that prevents them from harsh wind conditions. This low growth also prevent some plants to take advantage of the isolation from snow caps. This is the main reason of their survival.

Originally published at https://vocal.media.