Nature + Culture > Flora – Fauna – Ecosystems

Flora - Altitudinal Zones – Habitats

Get an early start hiking up through the forest, then enjoy a short break at tree line, and finally climb through successively scarcer vegetation to the highest peaks of the Nature Park.

As you climb to such elevations in just a few hours, you will traverse myriad climatic vegetation zones. Otherwise, you would have to travel from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean (over 3000 km) to experience such significant changes. The climate is therefore a decisive factor for the communities of plant and animal species living together.
Generally speaking, the elevation for the various altitudinal zones fluctuates; however, the number of species as well as the number of individuals tends to diminish with elevation. Global warming, also known as global climate change has reportedly been the cause for the increased appearance of some species at higher altitudes.

The montane zone

The montane zone in the Ötztal Alps is characterized by the Common Spruce (Picea abies).

 

The subalpine Zone

The subalpine zone (montane forest ecosystem) spans an elevation of about 1700m up to the tree line at about 1900m.

 

The alpine zone

From the alpine zone (alpine meadow ecosystem) upward, there is no protective tree cover. All living organisms are exposed to extreme weather conditions.

 

The nival zone

The nival zone, found above 3000 m, is characterized by vegetation (called associations) that lives on rocks and gravel with few areas of continuous meadow.

 
 
 
 
 
scroll to top