Mountain Biodiversity, its Causes and Function: an Overview

Abstract

The high elevation biota of the world have been the subject of many synthetic approaches, including assessments of the variability and diversity of ecosystem properties and processes, ecophysiological traits and organismic functioning in general (e.g. Franz, 1979; Vuilleumier and Monasterio, 1986; Billings, 1988; Rundel et al., 1994; Archibold, 1995; Wielgolaski, 1997; Körner, 1999). In this overview, questions relating to high elevation biodiversity will be specifically discussed (for previous attempts with a global perspective see for instance Chapin and Körner, 1995; Rahbek, 1995).

Topics & Concepts