The Ecology of the Alpine Zones

The Ecology of the Alpine Zones or tens of thousands of years the alpine zones have provided F Aboriginal people with spiritual value, food, and clothing. Located high in the mountains of British Columbia, the alpine is a rugged, treeless environment, today treasured by skiers and hikers. This is a harshly beautiful land of ice, snow, and rock mixed with tundra and colourful flower meadows. Three dis- tinct alpine zones occur in British Columbia, which share the common characteristics of short, cool summers, and winters too tough for all but sturdy ungulates such as mountain sheep, mountain goats, and caribou. The Alpine Zones of British Columbia The alpine occurs at high elevations throughout British Columbia Alpine above Kwinageese Lake, Strata Range and has the harshest climate of any of the biogeoclimatic Will MacKenzie zones in British Columbia. Temperatures are cold for most of the year, with much wind and snow. Temperatures remain low even during the growing season, which has an exceptionally short frost-free period. Mean annual temper- Terrain atures range from 0° to 4°C, and the average monthly At the high altitudes typical of this zone, the terrain is temperature stays below 0°C from 7 to 11 months of the often steep and rugged, with tall cliffs and rocky, snow- year. The mean temperature of the warmest month is less capped peaks. Much of the alpine landscape is rock, ice, than 10°C. A great deal of precipitation falls in this zone, and snow, but some areas have extensive gently rolling mostly as snow. terrain. Glaciers have scoured out valleys and shaped This region is separated into three alpine zones with steep cliffs and valley walls. When they melted, glaciers different climate and vegetation. left a variety of special alpine landforms such as basin- The Coastal Mountain-heather Alpine (CMA) Zone like cirques. Talus slopes occur where gravity has caused occurs along the windward spine of the Coast Mountains frost-shattered rock fragments to slide or fall down the and the mountains of Vancouver Island and the Queen slope. In alpine regions, the physical environment dic- Charlotte Islands where the snowpack is deep and sum- tates the vegetation. Whether the terrain is gentle or mers are moderated by maritime influences. The treeline extremely rough, the smallest differences in the microen- in this environment is lowered by heavy and prolonged vironment are important. Soils are typically shallow and snow cover and can be as much as 900 m lower than in derived from weathered bedrock. Since cold retards the the alpine of comparable latitudes in the dry interior. process of weathering, soils develop slowly in this zone. Alpine begins at 1600 m in the south, descending to Occasional areas of permafrost also occur here. 1000 m in the north. Though this zone is extensive, most of the land area is occupied by glaciers or recently exposed bare rock at the elevation of true alpine. The Interior Mountain-heather Alpine (IMA) Zone occupies the entire Columbia Mountains, the southern Rocky Mountains, and the lee side of the Coast and Cascade Mountains. The Interior Mountain-heather Alpine is the smallest of the alpine zones since the altitude at which it begins is above the height of most of the mountain ranges: 2500 m in the dry south to 1800 m in the north. There is much precipitation variation within the zone but summers are warm relative to the other alpine zones. The Boreal Altai Fescue Alpine (BAFA) Zone is the most extensive of the alpine zones, occupying the northern Rocky, Skeena, Omineca, and Cassiar Mountains in the north and the lee side of the Coast Mountains as far south as the Chilcotin. Winters are very cold and long, and summers are brief and cool but with very long day length. A thin windblown snowpack is typical of the Boreal Altai Fescue Alpine but deeper snowpacks occur in some areas. Ground freezing and cryoturbation (frost churning) features are common. Much of the Boreal Altai Fescue Alpine is well-vegetated alpine tundra. Spatsizi MOELP cover photo: Will MacKenzie cover photo: Will The Alpine Plant Adaptation Zones of The lower alpine has an abundance of alpine and mon- Mosses, liverworts, and lichens can tane species, but few flowering plants can survive the also thrive at the upper limits of British Columbia harsh conditions of the highest alpine. Some species are vegetation. These plants can grow able to thrive in extreme alpine environments by forming over bedrock, in fellfields ground-hugging cushions or (boulder fields), or as The alpine mats. These plants include stripes of vegetation occurs at high moss campion and several on frost-patterned elevations species of sandwort, sax- ground. Some of the throughout British Columbia ifrage, and whitlow-grass. lichen tundra, especially and has the harshest climate of any of the biogeoclimatic Alpine above Kwinageese Lake, Strata Range Will MacKenzie Others plants have fuzzy or on limestone, is zones in British Columbia. Temperatures are cold for most hairy leaves that help to surprisingly colourful of the year, with much wind and snow. Temperatures trap air, reduce water loss, and rich in species remain low even during the growing season, which has an Terrain and insulate them from the diversity. exceptionally short frost-free period. Mean annual temper- cold dry winds. Examples atures range from 0° to 4°C, and the average monthly At the high altitudes typical of this zone, the terrain is are cinquefoil, woolly temperature stays below 0°C from 7 to 11 months of the often steep and rugged, with tall cliffs and rocky, snow- pussytoes, lupines, and silky year. The mean temperature of the warmest month is less capped peaks. Much of the alpine landscape is rock, ice, phacelia. than 10°C. A great deal of precipitation falls in this zone, Alpine slopes of Trident Mountain, and snow, but some areas have extensive gently rolling Central Rocky Mountains (IMA) mostly as snow. terrain. Glaciers have scoured out valleys and shaped Will MacKenzie This region is separated into three alpine zones with steep cliffs and valley walls. When they melted, glaciers Ice-coated spiked wood-rush Luzula spicata different climate and vegetation. Will MacKenzie left a variety of special alpine landforms such as basin- can have a pronounced effect on factors that influence The Coastal Mountain-heather Alpine (CMA) Zone like cirques. Talus slopes occur where gravity has caused Ecosystems plants – soil temperature, moisture, depth of thaw, and occurs along the windward spine of the Coast Mountains frost-shattered rock fragments to slide or fall down the exposure to wind. The result is a complex mosaic of vege- and the mountains of Vancouver Island and the Queen slope. In alpine regions, the physical environment dic- Vegetation in the alpine can be lush near the treeline but tation and soil types. Charlotte Islands where the snowpack is deep and sum- tates the vegetation. Whether the terrain is gentle or becomes sparser with elevation. At the treeline, the interface Colourful herb meadows mers are moderated by maritime influences. The treeline extremely rough, the smallest differences in the microen- between the subalpine parkland and the true alpine, occurs Alpine rock lichens are a familiar feature of Will MacKenzie in this environment is lowered by heavy and prolonged vironment are important. Soils are typically shallow and a mosaic of stunted “krummholz” tree patches and meadow the alpine landscape at snow cover and can be as much as 900 m lower than in derived from weathered bedrock. Since cold retards the or alpine tundra. In the Coastal Mountain-heather Alpine, the treeline where soils are the alpine of comparable latitudes in the dry interior. process of weathering, soils develop slowly in this zone. treeline trees are mostly mountain hemlock, yellow-cedar, deeper, along alpine Alpine begins at 1600 m in the south, descending to Occasional areas of permafrost also occur here. and subalpine fir. The treeline of the interior is primarily rivulets, and especially in 1000 m in the north. Though this zone is extensive, spruce and subalpine fir throughout, with whitebark pine, snowier climates. These most of the land area is occupied by glaciers or recently lodgepole pine, or alpine larch occurring at some treelines lush mountain meadows exposed bare rock at the elevation of true alpine. of the Interior Mountain-heather Alpine. In the alpine as a feature a spectacular dis- The Interior Mountain-heather Alpine (IMA) Zone whole, most zonal vegetation is made up of low-growing, play of showy-flowered occupies the entire Columbia Mountains, the southern Rocky peak vegetation in the Skeena Mountains (BAFA) broad-leaved herbs such as Will MacKenzie Rocky Mountains, and the lee side of the Coast and arctic lupine, arrow-leaved Cascade Mountains. The Interior Mountain-heather groundsel, subalpine daisy, Sitka valerian, Indian hellebore, Alpine is the smallest of the alpine zones since the altitude arnicas, cow-parsnip, cinquefoils, louseworts, paintbrushes, at which it begins is above the height of most of the western pasqueflower, white marsh-marigold, glacier lily, mountain ranges: 2500 m in the dry south to 1800 m in buttercups, mountain sorrel, and mountain sagewort. the north. There is much precipitation variation within In the interior, communities of mountain-avens, saxifrage, the zone but summers are warm relative to the other dwarf cinquefoils, moss-campion, and others occur primarily alpine zones. on windswept, largely snow-free ridge crests, along with The Boreal Altai Fescue Alpine (BAFA) Zone is lichen and other mat-forming herbs. Species differ between the most extensive of the alpine zones, occupying Snowbed vegetation of white, pink, and creamy mountain-heathers Phyllodoce spp. (CMA) the Boreal Altai Fescue Alpine and Interior Mountain- the northern Rocky, Skeena, Omineca, and Will MacKenzie heather Alpine.

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