Introduction

Abstract

This book is motivated by studies of global climate change and its impact on the environment, a topic which is increasingly being discussed among scientists as well as by the general public. One major point of concern is the possible shift of vegetation zones to higher altitudes and greater latitudes. In particular, attention is being given to northern and mountain timberlines, which are readily visible and for which past records are available. Undoubtedly, the upper timberline is the most conspicuous vegetation limit in high-mountain areas of all continents, with the sole exception for the Antarctic. Actually, impressive maps and graphs projecting the future positions of vegetation zones and altitudinal belts have already been published (cf. Chapter 5).