Description

This book will provide a complete overview of an alpine ecosystem, based on the long-term research conducted at the Niwot Ridge LTER. There is, at present, no general book on alpine ecology. The alpine ecosystem features conditions near the limits of biological existence, and is a useful laboratory for asking more general ecological questions, because it offers large environmental change over relatively short distances. Factors such as macroclimate, microclimate, soil conditions, biota, and various biological factors change on differing scales, allowing insight into the relative contributions of the different factors on ecological outcomes.

Reviews

"The references at the end of each chapter are extensive and valuable. . . . there are no books at present that detail general alpine ecosystem science."--International Journal of Environmental Studies

"The case is made [in this book] ... that the alpine ecosystem is intimately linked to ecosystems at lower altitudes. ... Thus, events and processes in the alpine may have broader consequences than one might suspect. ... The book is potentially of interest to a broad audience, and ... it will serve as a good introduction to what is known about the Colorado alpine tundra from an ecosystem perspective, a benchmark for comparison with arctic and alpine tundra elsewhere, and as a summary of much o the research done at the Niwot Ridge LTER site."--Ecology

"Structure and Function of an Alpine Ecosystem summarizes and synthesizes more than four decades of alpine research undertaken at this high-elevation location. ... a number of high quality black-and-white photographs of the Niwot Ridge/Green Lakes site ... enhance the pleasure of reading through the technical material. ... a valuable compendium and summary of information on the alpine world of North America, especially the Southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado. ... all serious fans of alpine environments will want to read this book if not own it."--Natural Areas Journal

Product Details

352 pages; 94 halftones & line illus.; 6-1/8 x 9-1/4; ISBN13: 978-0-19-511728-8ISBN10: 0-19-511728-X