Why do tree lines exist?
Prof. Dr. em. Christian Körner (Universität Basel)
Anyone who has hiked in the mountains or traveled to the far north knows the rather abrupt change from the tall trees to low shrubs or grass. Why is there such vibrant plant life flourishing above the tree line, yet not a single tree? What is it that the trees cannot do? This talk explores the global phenomenon of the tree line and explains why trees disappear beyond a certain altitude or latitude. It also addresses key questions in the context of climate change: Why are trees already reacting so strongly at the tree line, while many alpine plants are rather resilient?
