Life zones of central Europe
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Geographically, Central Europe lies between the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and the Apennine and Balkan peninsulas. It includes the plains of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
; the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
; and the Carpathian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
. The Central European Flora region stretches from Central France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to Central Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Southern Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. The lowlands of Central Europe contain the Central European mixed forests ecoregion, while the mountains host the Alps conifer and mixed forests and Carpathian montane conifer forests ecoregions.
An important factor in the local climate and ecology of Central Europe is the elevation: an increase of elevation by 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) causes the average air temperature to drop by 5 °C (41 °F) and decreases the amount of water that can be held by the atmosphere by 30%. This decrease in temperature and increase in rainfall result in altitudinal zonation, where the land can be divided into life zones of similar climate and ecology, depending on elevation.
Life zones
- Planar, under 300 m (East Alps), under 150 m (Central German hills), agriculture.
- Colin, 300 – 800 m (East Alps), 150 – 300 m (Central German hills), oakOakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
limit (Quercus spp.). European BeechEuropean BeechFagus sylvatica, the European Beech or Common Beech, is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae.-Natural range:...
(Fagus sylvatica), Sessile oak (Quercus petraea), Pedunculate oak or English oak (Quercus robur), European or common hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) and small-leaved Lime (Tilia cordataTilia cordataTilia cordata is a species of Tilia native to much of Europe and western Asia, north to southern Great Britain , central Scandinavia, east to central Russia, and south to central Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Caucasus; in the south of its range it is restricted to...
). Grape crop limit (Vitis spp.), around 600 m, Switzerland, North Side, South Slope, estimated 7.5 °C. Crops: maizeMaizeMaize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
for feed; sweet maize (Zea mays).
- Submontane, 700 - 1,000 m (East Alps), 300 – 450 m (Central German hills), European BeechEuropean BeechFagus sylvatica, the European Beech or Common Beech, is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae.-Natural range:...
(Fagus sylvatica), Silver Fir or European Silver Fir (Abies alba) and Norway SpruceNorway SpruceNorway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
(Picea abies). Coniferous forests by reforestationReforestationReforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted, usually through deforestation....
limit around 800 m, North Side.
- Montane, 800 – 1,200 m (East Alps), 450 – 650 m (Central German hills), ryeRyeRye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskeys, some vodkas, and animal fodder...
(Secale cereale) and wheatWheatWheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
(Triticum spp.) crop limit.
- Mean Montane, 1,000 – 1,400 m (East Alps), 650 – 800 m (Central German hills). Limit of the whole year populated areas. Limit of a growing seasonGrowing seasonIn botany, horticulture, and agriculture the growing season is the period of each year when native plants and ornamental plants grow; and when crops can be grown....
of more than 100 days.
- Altimontane, 1,300 – 1,850 m (East Alps), 800 – 1,500 m (Central German hills). Deciduous forests limit, Sycamore Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and European BeechEuropean BeechFagus sylvatica, the European Beech or Common Beech, is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae.-Natural range:...
(Fagus sylvatica).
- Subalpine, 1,500 – 2,500 m (East Alps), above 1,500 m (Central German hills), Scots PineScots PinePinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
(Pinus sylvestris), Norway SpruceNorway SpruceNorway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
(Picea abies), Swiss PineSwiss PineThe Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
(Pinus cembra, Arve or Zirbel) limit and European LarchEuropean LarchLarix decidua, common name European larch, is a species of larch native to the mountains of central Europe, in the Alps and Carpathians, with disjunct lowland populations in northern Poland and southern Lithuania.-Description:...
(Larix decidua) limit, 2,000 m, some specimens up to 2,850 m, South Slope. Tree line and KrummholzKrummholzKrummholz or Krumholtz formation — also called Knieholz — is a particular feature of subarctic and subalpine tree line landscapes. Continual exposure to fierce, freezing winds causes vegetation to become stunted and deformed...
zone or ecotoneEcotoneAn ecotone is a transition area between two biomes but different patches of the landscape, such as forest and grassland. It may be narrow or wide, and it may be local or regional...
(stunted subalpine bushes), Sub-alpine meadow and Alpine climateAlpine climateAlpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
.
- Alpine, 2,000 - 3,000 m (East Alps), Montane grasslands and shrublandsMontane grasslands and shrublandsMontane grasslands and shrublands is a biome defined by the World Wildlife Fund. The biome includes high altitude grasslands and shrublands around the world....
. Mountain PineMountain PinePinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
or Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo) limit. Alpine meadows just used in the warm season.
- Nival, above 3,000 m (East Alps), alpine desert, screeScreeScree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
, permafrostPermafrostIn geology, permafrost, cryotic soil or permafrost soil is soil at or below the freezing point of water for two or more years. Ice is not always present, as may be in the case of nonporous bedrock, but it frequently occurs and it may be in amounts exceeding the potential hydraulic saturation of...
and above snow lineSnow lineThe climatic snow line is the point above which snow and ice cover the ground throughout the year. The actual snow line may seasonally be significantly lower....
.
Climate
Location, avg annual precipitation (mm), altitude (amslAbove mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
) and avg annual temperature (°C):
| Approx. coordinates of the weather station |
Precipitation | Altitude | Temperature | |
| Weissfluhjoch Weissfluhjoch The Weissfluhjoch is a minor summit southeast of the Weissfluh situated in the Plessur Range in Graubünden. Since 1932 a cable car leads to the summit from Davos.-Weather:-References:... |
46°50′0"N 9°48′23"E | 1,158 mm | 2,690 m | -3.2 °C |
| Pilatus Pilatus (mountain) Pilatus is a mountain near Lucerne, Switzerland. Jurisdiction over the mountain is divided between the cantons of Obwalden, Nidwalden, and Lucerne... |
46°58′45"N 8°15′22"E | 1,842 mm | 2,106 m | 0.9 °C |
| Napf Napf Napf is a mountain on the border between the cantons of Berne and Lucerne. It is the summit of the Napfgebiet region, north of Bernese Alps.-Weather:... |
47°0′15"N 7°56′24"E | 1,355 mm | 1,406 m | 4.0 °C |
| Engelberg | 46°50′0"N 8°23′0"E | 1,571 mm | 1,035 m | 5.4 °C |
| Buchs Buchs, Aargau -Government:In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SVP which received 35.9% of the vote. The next three most popular parties were the SP , the FDP and the CVP .-Legislative:... -Suhr Suhr, Aargau Suhr is a municipality in the district of Aarau of the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-Geography:Suhr has an area, , of . Of this area, 29.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 44.4% is forested... |
47°23′0"N 08°04′0"E | 1,027 mm | 387 m | 8.6 °C |