Georg Grabherr – författare

This book is unique in providing a global overview of alpine (high mountain) habitats that occur above the natural (cold-limited) tree line, describing the factors that have shaped them over both ecological and evolutionary timescales. The broad geographic coverage helps synthesise common features whilst revealing differences in the world's major alpine systems from the Arctic to the Tropics. The words "barren" and "wasteland" have often been applied to describe landscapes beyond the treeline. However, a closer look reveals a large diversity of habitats, assemblages and individual taxa, largely connected to topographic diversity within individual alpine regions. The book considers habitat-forming factors (landforms, energy and climate, hydrology, soils, and vegetation) individually, as well as their composite impacts on habitat characteristics. Evolution and population processes are examined in the context of the responsiveness / resilience of alpine habitats to global change. Finally, a critical assessment of the potential impacts of climate change, atmospheric pollutants and land use is made and related to the management and conservation options available for these unique habitats.

This is the first ever European-wide overview of biodiversity in alpine areas. The volume draws together taxonomic, ecological, historical, functional and climatic studies to develop a holistic understanding of biodiversity at and above the treeline. The main themes are: plant, vegetation and animal diversity, altitude gradients and spatial patterns, long-term changes and the effects of herbivores on diversity. These themes are introduced by a geo-biological scene setting and by a novel characterisation of alpine bio-climate. The comparisons of current and long-term observations and data emphasise the historical tradition of alpine biodiversity research in Europe. Analyses of taxonomic and assembly data at the continent-wide scale provide insight into pattern and its historical and ecological causes.

As stated in the European Community Biodiversity Strategy, "the global scale of biodiversity reduction or losses and the interdependence of different species and ecosystems across national borders demands concerted international action".