Table 1.

Characteristics of the surveyed species, after Landolt (1992).

Growth form	Plant species	Growth height (m)	Vertical distribution(ma.s.l.) in the Alps	Elevational belt
Trees	Larix decidua	<40	800–2,400	Submontane-alpine
	Picea abies	<60	600–2,100	Submontane-alpine
	Pinus cembra	<20	1,600–2,400	Alpine
	Sorbus aucuparia	10	600–2,400	Submontane-alpine
Tallshrubs	Alnusalno-betula	<3	1,000–2,300	Montane-alpine
	Pinus mugo	<2	1,000–2,400	Montane-alpine
Dwarfshrubs	Arctostaphylosuva-ursi	0.05–0.25	600–2,600	Submontane-alpine
	Calluna vulgaris	0.1–0.5	400–2,600	Submontane-alpine
	Empetrum hermaphroditum	0.1–0.2	1,700–2,600	Alpine
	Juniperus nana	<0.5	1,800–2,600	Alpine
	Loiseleuria procumbens	<0.05	1,800–2,800	Alpine
	Rhododendron ferrugineum	0.3–0.8	1,000–2,500	Montane-alpine
	Vaccinium myrtillus	0.05–0.5	300–2,600	Submontane-alpine
	Vaccinium uliginosum	0.1–0.2	1,500–2,700	alpine
	Vaccinium vitis-idaea	0.05–0.25	600–2,700	Submontane-alpine