it is essential presentation representing accurate information about alpine forests.

1. Alpine Forest
Marina Bibi: 2016-KIU-1066
Zakia Ashraf: 2016-KIU-1067
BS VI

3. Introduction
• Forests are main source of paper, fuel, wood,
latex, lumber, medicine, food and resins etc
• Also provides ecotourism and wildlife
conservation
• Forests cover 4.8% land of Pakistan

4. Cont…
• Arctic and alpine covers 16% of the earth.
• Alpine derives from Latin word ‘’Alp’’ meaning
high mountain.
• It has well defined vegetation and
characterized by absence of trees or dwarf
trees.

5. Ecology of Alpine
• Forests of alpine zone occurs near mountain
tops
• In Pakistan found in the mountainous regions
of Himalaya, Karakoram and Hindukush.
• alpine biome lies between an altitude of
10,000 feet (3000m) above sea level and place
where snowline begins

6. Western alpine shrub
Karakoram western alpine

7. Alpine Climate
• Climate is very cold, icy, snowy and windy.
• Average precipitation is 30cm per year
• Due to extreme low temperature trees can’t grow
• Growing season for plants is about 180days

8. Cont…
• During summer temperature reaches around
-12 C⁰
– Summer last from june to september
• During winter temperature below freezing
point and with higher altitude get much
colder.
– Winter last from october to may

9. Alpine Plants
• Plants that grow in an alpine climate which
occurs at high elevation and above the tree
line.
• Alpine plants are not a single taxon Rather,
many different plant species live in the alpine
environment.
• These include:
– perennial grasses, sedges, forbs, cushion
plants, mosses, and lichens.

10. Examples of Alpine plants
• hgh
Glory of the snow lichen Xanthoria elegans

11. Cont..
• Many plants are used economically, in
Himalayas many species traded for medicinal
and aromatic use.
• Annual trade of these plants amount to
million US dollar.
• Many household in Nepal and India rely on
medicinal plants as a source of income.

12. Cont…
• Some of the plant species in Nepal include:
– Neopicrorhiza scrophulariflora, Discorea
deltoidea, Rheum austrade
• Indian species include:
– Aconitum heterophyllum, Dichoriza kurrooa

13. Discorea deltoideaNeopicrorhiza scrophulariflora,

14. Alpine animals
• Alpine animals face 2 problems
– Cold temperature
– Ultraviolet wavelengths (UV)
• There are only warm blooded animals and some
insects
• adapted by shorter limbs ( legs, ears and tails)
help to reduce heat loss and larger lung
capacities, more blood cells and hemoglobin.

15. • These animals hibernate and migrate to
warmer areas of the mountain
• Some insulate their bodies with extra fats and
fur.
• There are about 30,000 animal species in
alpine zone

16. • Chikara in North America
• Chinchilla in South
America
• Ibex in North Africa, East
Africa, Eurasia including
northern areas of Pakistan
• Markhor in Asia
• Snow leopard in central
Asia

17. • Rodents include:
marmot, Norwegia
lemming, snow vole.
• Invertebrates
include: moths,
butterflies, beetles,
spiders, grasshopper,
flies, cockroaches,
flatworms and giant
snail

18. Threats to alpine forests
Alpine forests are subject to many threats and
suffer many damages, main causes include
• Urbanization: continual expansion of cities,
town, villages
• Transportation: noise and air pollution,
excess NO₂ results in acid rain.

19. • Tourism: major driver of urbanization and
traffic, leisure activities by tourists as winter
ski tourism, adventure sports harm landscape.
• Hydroelectricity supply: most cities rely on
alpine water for drinking and electricity
supply, human pressure and global warming
put alpine water at risk.

20. • Agriculture: massive use of fertilizers, grading
and drainage.
• Climate change: global warming diminish
glaciers, glacier recession led to upward
migration of alpine plants and extinction of
lowland plants
– Cause Exotic species and pathogen inavsion

21. Importance of Alpine forests
• 22% of the world people on mountain directly
benefit from alpine forests and lowland
people also dependant on Alps for many
goods as
– Water supply
– Energy
– Timber and wood
• Biodiversity maintenance
• Recreation and spiritual renewal