Show description

1 Diff. 1. 1999 versus 2000 comparison of July and August ground temperatures e:: ro' ~ N rt p; rt '"t:I V' ::l p.. Il> '"::lrt E.. Il> '"t:I '-< :< rt ::l .... " 00 ..... 2 Temperature Extremes Ground temperature minima and maxima showed a substantial variation from site to site with no latitudinal trend (Fig. 4). The variation in minima was likely to be associated with variable snow cover. From these data we can conclude that any of the sites (perhaps with the exception of the Scottish Highlands because of their maritime climate) may at one time experience ground temperatures as low as -13 DC at 10 cm belowground.

Haapasaari 1988; Virtanen et al. 1999b): orohemiarctic (upper treeline ecotone), lower oroarctic (low alpine), middle oro arctic (middle alpine) and upper oroarctic (high alpine}. An additional subnival zone is present on some high peaks. The orohemiarctic zone is characterised by scattered mountain birch and dwarf birch (Betula nana) heaths, scattered individual trees, grey willow scrub (Salix lapponum, S. glauca and S. lanata) and abundant Vaccinium myrtillus heath. In the lower oro arctic zone, V.

South of the Alpic system (sensu Ozenda 1985) or mid-latitude high mountains, further extensive mountain systems occur. These include the mountains of the Central Meseta in Spain, the southern Pyrenees, most of the Apennines, the mountains of Corsica, and the mountains of the Balkan Peninsula (such as parts of the Dinarids, and the Rhodopi and Rila mountains), which are neither temperate nor typically Mediterranean (Fig. 1). Each of these sub-Mediterranean mountains has its specific character. The forests at the treeline ecotone are often deciduous (Fagus sylvatica, Alnus viridis ssp.