subalpine
Below the peaks
Subalpine describes the zone just below the alpine region on mountains—where trees thin out but haven't yet given way to bare rock and tundra.
Subalpine forests typically feature cold-hardy conifers like spruce and fir: We hiked through subalpine meadows dotted with wildflowers.
The term also describes plants and animals adapted to these high but not highest elevations.
Elevation limit for forests
- montaneOf cooler elevated zones
- elevationHeight above reference point
- timberlineElevation beyond which trees fail
- snowlinePermanent accumulation boundary
ridgeline · summit · peak · saddle · cirque · glacier · tundra · plateau
Grassy field for grazing
- coniferCone-bearing tree
- spruceNeat; also a conifer
- firCone-bearing evergreen genus
- pineCone-bearing evergreen
larch · heather · wildflower · lichen · moss · tundra · boreal · taiga
Elevation beyond which trees fail
- old-growthLong-undisturbed forest
- coniferousProducing woody cones
- needleleafNarrow, pointed foliage type
- understoryForest's lower vegetation tier
canopy · woodland · silviculture · reforestation · disturbance · windswept · stunted · elfin
treeline
Elevation limit for forests
- montaneOf cooler elevated zones
- elevationHeight above reference point
- timberlineElevation beyond which trees fail
snowline · ridgeline · summit · peak · saddle · cirque · glacier · tundra · plateau · highland
meadow
Grassy field for grazing
pine · larch · heather · wildflower · lichen · moss · tundra · boreal · taiga · permafrost
timberline
Elevation beyond which trees fail
- old-growthLong-undisturbed forest
- coniferousProducing woody cones
- needleleafNarrow, pointed foliage type
understory · canopy · woodland · silviculture · reforestation · disturbance · windswept · stunted · elfin · parkland
- mountain termsHimalayas, Rockies, Andes, peaks, summit
- terrain wordshilly, rocky, muddy, sandy, flat
- hikingtrail, hike, hiker, trails, day hikes
- mountainsmountain, peaks, peak, summit, summits
- landformsmountain, cliff, valley, volcano, mountain ridge
- altitudehigh altitude, low altitude, cruising altitude, flight level, sea level