The altitude levels of the vegetation simply explained

What are the elevation levels of vegetation?

Vegetation elevation levels are used to classify the changes in natural vegetation as an area increases in altitude. This is happening due to falling temperatures and increasing rainfall. In this way, different vegetation zones develop in a small area in the mountains.

During a mountain hike, you cross different habitats of different plants from the valley floor to the mountain forest level to the rocky summit areas.

The colline altitude level

The colline altitude level is the lowest of the 4 altitude levels. It is also called a hill step and reaches a height of 400 m. At the colline altitude level, the average annual temperature is around 8 degrees Celsius, which is why it is possible to grow fruit trees and grape vines here. Otherwise, this altitude is characterized by cool temperate deciduous forests. The growing season lasts from April to early November.

The montane altitude level

The montane elevation or mountain range forms the transition area between deciduous, mixed and coniferous forests. It extends up to 1,500 meters above sea level. The lower part is often referred to as a separate submontane elevation. This is often used for agriculture, the upper part is used for forestry. Coniferous forests grow there, which merge deeper into mixed and deciduous forests. Plants in this zone reach a height of up to 30 meters and grow over the same period of time as in the alpine altitude range.

The subalpine altitude level

The subalpine level begins at the tree line at an altitude of around 1,500 meters, in which shrub and dwarf shrub communities are widespread. Like the alpine, tree- and shrub-free step above the tree line (1,900–2,200 meters), it is now mostly used as alpine pasture.

The alpine altitude level

The alpine altitude ranges from around 2,000 meters to almost 3,000 meters above sea level. Here, mosses and grasses as well as dwarf shrubs are increasingly common in the upper elevations. In the lower lying areas there are also meadows (alpine pastures) with individual trees. Plants grow between 100 and 200 days a year between April and September.

The nival altitude level

At the low altitude the temperature is too low for plant growth. At an altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level, only isolated mosses and lichens can be found. This plain is characterized by a rocky surface that is covered with snow all year round. It forms the summit area of ​​a mountain or mountain range. The vegetation period of plants in the nival stage is 0 to 70 days in the months of July and August.

Connections with azonal and extrazonal vegetation

The altitude levels of the vegetation also influence the spread of plant formations, which usually wrap around the globe in a zonal (i.e. belt-like) manner. This is not the case for azonal vegetation and the species composition of the vegetation changes with increasing altitude.

Extrazonal vegetation includes vegetation units (plant communities) that thrive in places where the local climate differs greatly from surrounding areas. The plants found there are more like a different climate zone. This is often the case at higher altitudes. That's why, for example, the trees that occur in alpine areas around the world are similar.

Different characteristics of the altitude levels of the vegetation

The extent of the elevation levels depends on the latitude and height of the mountains. In tropical high mountains, the equatorial location creates a different picture of the elevation levels. The vegetation there ranges from tropical rainforests upwards into tropical mountain forests, deciduous, mixed and coniferous forests as well as the Krummholz zone, meadows and mosses up to the Nival altitude level.

Examples of tropical high mountain zones are the Andes in South America or the Ruwenzori Mountains in East Africa.

On your next hike in the mountains, pay attention to the changing flora and try to figure out which vegetation zone you are in. It's easier than you think!