List of life zones by region

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The climate and ecology of different locations on the globe naturally separate into life zones, depending on elevation, location, and latitude. The generally strong dependency on elevation is known as altitudinal zonation: the average temperature of a location decreases as the elevation increases.

Contents

The general effect of elevation depends on atmospheric physics. However, the specific climate and ecology of any particular location depends on specific features of that location. This article provides a list of life zones by region, in order to illustrate the features of life zones for regions around the globe.

Central Europe: Switzerland & Germany

Mediterranean: Corsica

Tropical Andes 10°S

Qoyllur R'Iti panoramic overview.jpg
Sanctuary of Qoyllur Rit'i - Mountain Tundra

Classic Version - Regions of the Amazonic Side

Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro, Tanzania ( 3°7′0″S37°35′0″E / 3.11667°S 37.58333°E / -3.11667; 37.58333 (Kilimanjaro) ) & Mount Kenya, Kenya, ( 0°9′0″S37°18′0″E / 0.15000°S 37.30000°E / -0.15000; 37.30000 (Mount Kenya) )

Vulcano Kibo - Uhuru Peak, 5,895 m rock and ice. As the conifers are absent, the Tree line is lower. [12] [13]

Vegetation zones

Simplified grid system. Oldest mountain on the left, Ngaliema - Mount Stanley, 3,951 m; Rwenzori Mountains or Mountains of the Moon (Africa). Flora of East Tropical Africa Peaks Grid.svg
Simplified grid system. Oldest mountain on the left, Ngaliema - Mount Stanley, 3,951 m; Rwenzori Mountains or Mountains of the Moon (Africa).

In the altitudes between 3,400 and 4,500 m (11,200 and 14,800 ft) some of the most extreme examples of adaptations can be found. At altitudes below 3,400 m (11,200 ft) the daily temperature fluctuations are less extreme, the average daily temperature steadily increases, and the growth forms and ecology of the Dendroseneico reflect the increased influence of biotic factors (such as competition for light) over abiotic factors (such as nightly frost). [15]

Jade Dragon Snow Mountains

The Jade Dragon Snow Mountains contain the glacier nearest of the Equator on the North Hemisphere. The landmarks 4,506 m and 4,680 m at the end of the glacier can be achieved through the cable car from Ganhaizi (Tibetan for dry lake, a grassland with conifers at 3,400 m). The mountain desert begins around 4,000 m. The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan (UNESCO World Heritage Site) encompasses the watershed areas of the Yangtze (Jinsha), Mekong (Lan Cang) and Salween (Nujiang) rivers and is the joint of the Palearctic realm and the Indomalayan realm. [16]

Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Other regions

Notes

  1. Ellenberg 1996
  2. Mayer 1974
  3. Mayer 1984
  4. Wittmann 1983
  5. Mayer 1988
  6. Reille et al. 1997
  7. Reille et al. 1999
  8. Gamisans 1991
  9. "The Chagga Homegardens on Kilimanjaro" (PDF).
  10. Hemp 2005
  11. Hemp 2006a
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Europa". Klimadiagramme weltweit.
  13. Allan 1981
  14. "Africa Ultra-Prominences: 84 Mountains with prominence of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) or greater". Peaklist. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  15. 1 2 Knox, Eric B. (2004). "Adaptive radiation of African montane plants".
  16. "Lijiang Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yulong Mountain, Yunnan".
  17. de:Datei:Klima hanoi.jpg
  18. Geoklima, Software: Geoklima 2.1

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References