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Alpine Plant Life

Functional Plant Ecology of High Mountain Ecosystems

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Table of contents (17 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-XI
  2. Plant ecology at high elevations

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 1-7
  3. The alpine life zone

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 9-20
  4. Alpine climate

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 21-30
  5. The climate plants experience

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 31-46
  6. Life under snow: Protection and limitation

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 47-62
  7. Alpine soils

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 63-76
  8. Alpine treelines

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 77-100
  9. Climatic stress

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 101-119
  10. Water relations

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 121-148
  11. Mineral nutrition

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 149-169
  12. Uptake and loss of carbon

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 171-200
  13. Carbon investments

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 201-220
  14. Growth dynamics and phenology

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 221-233
  15. Cell division and tissue formation

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 235-245
  16. Plant biomass production

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 247-258
  17. Plant reproduction

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 259-290
  18. Global change at high elevation

    • Christian Körner
    Pages 291-298
  19. Back Matter

    Pages 299-349

About this book

Generations of plant scientists have been fascinated by alpine plant life - with the exposure of organisms to dramatic climatic gradients over a very short distance. This comprehensive text treats a wide range of topics: alpine climate and soils, plant distribution and the treeline phenomenon, physiological ecology of water-, nutritional- and carbon relations of alpine plants, plant stress and plant development, biomass production, and aspects of human impacts on alpine vegetation. Geographically the book covers all parts of the world including the tropics.This second edition of Alpine Plant Life gives new references, new diagrams, and extensively revised chapters.

Reviews

"The book may serve not only as an excellent reference source for ecophysiological topics, but also as a source of fresh ideas and inspiration for a much broader readership." (Leoš Klimeš, Folia Geobotanica, Vol. 41 (4), 2006)

" ... the best modern treatment of "functional ecology" of alpine plants that I have seen. ... this new edition added over 100 new references, new diagrams and revised and extended several chapters. ... an excellent summary and key to the study of plant-habitat relationships. ... should be a compulsory reading for every plant ecologist. In my library it is right next to the Larcher's Physiological Plant Ecology." (Botanical Electronic News)

"This is a fascinating synthesis on plant life at high altitude all around the world. There have been a number of studies on this topic, but the book by C. Körner is not just an addition to an already long list of publications. It attempts a synthesis based on a thorough functional analysis of the processescontrolling plant life in these extreme situation, and on a broad overview of many of the mountain areaas around the world. ... It is also a very useful tool for ecophysiologists, because all the questions addressed are carefully analysed under the different relevant view points. ... In brief, this book is a model study for ecologists and ecophysiologists." (Annals of Forest Science)

"Alpine Plant Life proved to be the right book for those who are either advanced gardeners or for those with scientific interests in the alpine ecosystems. This book is divided into 17 chapters beginning with the discussion of "Plant Ecology at High Elevations" and ending with an excellent discussion of "Global Change at High Elevation". … Several color plates supplement the black and white photographs included throughout the book." (Diana Pederson, BellaOnline's Environment, June, 2004)

"Korner, a renowned alpine ecophysiologist, synthesizes the accumulated knowledge of generations ofalpine life scientists in this encyclopedic book. Introduces the alpine plant zone … . Examines the interation between plant, wind … . Discusses the physics of alpine soil … . Reviews the uptake and loss of carbon … . Analyses plant growth function, cell division … . Extensively referenced, 218 figures, 4 color plates, and 47 tables. For ecologists and ecology students." (Northeastern Naturalist, Vol. 11(3), 2004)

"This book is the best modern treatment of ‘functional ecology’ of alpine plants that I have seen. The new edition, in hard copy book, costs less … . At the same time, this new edition added over … . This book is an excellent summary and key to the study of plant-habitat relationships. The Alpine Plant Life by Christian Koerner should be a compulsory (sic) reading for every plant ecologist." (Adolf Ceska, Botanical Electronic News, September 2004)

"The second edition has been revised, updated and enlarged. … very clearly structured presentations of examples, discussions of arguments … . As a result, the reader is not left alone with a wealth of details; rather, he/she becomes guided … . In summary, Körner’s "Alpine Plant Life" is an overview and manual for the scene, and will be a must for every scientific library. Moreover, it is very useful for the private book shelf for everybody who is engaged in research … ." (Rainer Lösch, Phytocoenologia, Vol. 34(4), 2004)

"This is a fascinating synthesis on plant life at high altitude all around the world. … is not just an addition to an already long list of publication. … It is also a very useful tool for ecophysiologists, because all the questions addressed are carefully analysed under the different relevant view points. … As such, it is a nice illustration of the way ecophysiological thinking may proceed. The best example … . In brief, this book is a model study for ecologists and ecophysiologists." (Erwin Dreyer, Annals of Forest Science, Vol. 61(5), 2004)

"... a welcome second edition. ...  It is a superb textbook – well written with plenty of good quality photographs, graphs and diagrams. It hits a happy compromise in being accessible to novices in upland areas and/or plants but with sufficient depth to leave the reader feeling that they have got to grips with the topic. The book starts with reviews of alpine life zones, climate, soils … . A superb textbook that should be read and used by all ecology students."(Bulletin of the British Ecological Society, Vol. 35(1), 2004)

Authors and Affiliations

  • Institute of Botany, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    Christian Körner

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Alpine Plant Life

  • Book Subtitle: Functional Plant Ecology of High Mountain Ecosystems

  • Authors: Christian Körner

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18970-8

  • Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-540-00347-2Published: 14 July 2003

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-642-18970-8Published: 27 June 2011

  • Edition Number: 2

  • Number of Pages: XI, 349

  • Topics: Ecology, Plant Sciences, Geoecology/Natural Processes, Nature Conservation

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access