Type of stunted, deformed vegetation encountered in subarctic and subalpine tree line landscapes
For the American actor, see David Krumholtz.
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KrummholzPinus albicaulis in Wenatchee National ForestWind-sculpted krummholz trees, Ona Beach, Oregon
Krummholz (German: krumm, "crooked, bent, twisted" and Holz, "wood") — also called knieholz ("knee timber") — is a type of stunted, deformed vegetation encountered in the subarctic and subalpine tree line landscapes, shaped by continual exposure to fierce, freezing winds. Under these conditions, trees can only survive where they are sheltered by rock formations or snow cover. As the lower portion of these trees continues to grow, the coverage becomes extremely dense near the ground.[1] In Newfoundland and Labrador, the formation is known as tuckamore.[2][3][4]Krummholz trees are also found on beaches such as the Oregon coast, where trees can become much taller than their subalpine cousins.
The labeling of diverse sets of tree species in different ecological contexts may be problematic. The ecological requirements of krummholz trees in the Alps, for example, are different from those in the Rockies. The terms scrub or shrubland may be more appropriate for some communities with krummholz trees.[5]
Krummholz trees can cover nearly all of the area in which they inhabit, with only patches of moss and flowers in between. Frequent fog and cloudy conditions, along with cool weather, create a rather moist microclimate around the shrubs.[6]Krummholz might depend on less acidic soil to survive. This means that they are threatened by acid rain. The thin soils that cover mountaintops have low buffering capacity, that is the capacity to resist changes in acidity.[7] These trees are also endangered by the use of them as timber for fires, and other human activity.[5]
^"The subalpine ecosystem". National Park Service. Archived from the original on August 9, 2007. Retrieved January 29, 2009.
^Alden, John; Mastrantonio, J. Louise; Ødum, Soren (June 29, 2013). Forest Development in Cold Climates. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781489916006.
^Burzynski, Michael (1999). Gros Morne National Park. Breakwater Books. ISBN 9781550811353.
^Gouthro, Jen (June 21, 2014). "Tuckamore: The little tree growth that could". Cape Breton Post. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
^ abHoltmeier, Friedrich-Karl (1981). "What Does the Term "Krummholz" Really Mean? Observations with Special Reference to the Alps and the Colorado Front Range". Mountain Research and Development. 1 (3/4): 253–260. doi:10.2307/3673062. ISSN 0276-4741. JSTOR 3673062.
^"Maine Natural Areas Program, Natural Community Fact Sheet for Spruce - Fir Krummholz". www.maine.gov. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
^"Alpine Krummholz Guide - New York Natural Heritage Program". guides.nynhp.org. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
Krummholz (German: krumm, "crooked, bent, twisted" and Holz, "wood") — also called knieholz ("knee timber") — is a type of stunted, deformed vegetation...
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sparse, stunted, and deformed by wind and cold. This is sometimes known as krummholz (German for "crooked wood").: 58 The tree line often appears well-defined...
forests occurring at the forest-tundra ecotone (the treeline) are known as Krummholz. Alpine tundra can be affected by woody plant encroachment. Alpine tundra...
line; stunted forests occurring at the forest-tundra ecotone are known as krummholz. With increasing elevation it ends at the snow line where snow and ice...
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flora is interspersed with bare rocks. Between the two regions is the krummholz region, where stunted trees grow with their branches oriented away from...
conifers, spruce-fir and aspen forests in the transitionary zone, and Krummholz, and alpine tundra at the very top. The Apachian zone tucked into the...
mountain ranges and often marks the tree line. Thus, it is often found as krummholz, trees growing close to the ground that have been dwarfed by exposure...
winter-deciduous plant, deciduous beech is found, which forms a carpet or krummholz, or very rarely a 4-metre tree. Tasmania features a high concentration...
marshes and flats, coniferous and mixed forests, stunted vegetation (krummholz) and mountain tundra ecosystems. Maple forests including paper birch (Betula...
alpine climate with verdant meadows (Turkish: yayla) alternating with krummholz and boreal forests. Between the humid Pontic climate and semi-arid conditions...
or a mixture of white pine, fir, and spruce that appear as shrub-like krummholz. Finally, rivers and canyons can create a unique forest zone in more arid...
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timberline associates, it can survive by its ability to adapt (growing in a krummholz form) and reproduce via layering in clusters at high elevations. At timberline...
from north of Stowe, Vermont. Mansfield from toll road. Rime ice in the Krummholz zone of Mansfield. Looking south towards Camels Hump off the summit ridge...
rocky terrain or alpine meadows dominated by grasses, sedges, herbs, and Krummholz forest patches. Range maps often erroneously depict hoary marmots occurring...
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at lower elevations and protected sites, while multi-stemmed, stunted (krummholz-form) individuals are more abundant near tree line. Herb and shrub-dominated...
winter-deciduous plant, deciduous beech is found, which forms a carpet or krummholz, or very rarely a 4-metre tree. Tasmania features a high concentration...
long, with a slender, 5–8 mm long light brown wing. The tree grows in a krummholz form along the fringe of alpine tundras. Engelmann spruce is native to...
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