Rocky Mts.: Banff (Canada)
The Canadian Rocky Mts. around Banff (near Calgary) emerge in a transition zone between the northern Prairies and the boreal forest. With the foothills > 1400 m, a bizarre rocky landscape contrasts with continuous coniferous forests. The alpine vegetation is composed of a typical artic-alpine set of genera almost all well known also to the European botanist.
1 - Sharp escarpments emerge from boreal forest.
2 - The treeline at c. 2200 m.
3 -
The fragmented conifer treeline ecotone with
Pinus,
Picea,
Abies
and
Larix.
4 -
Dryas octopetala,
a common holarctic element, forms vegetation carpets on rock and scree. This Rosaceae
species lives in
symbiosis
with N-fixing bacteria.
6 -
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
(Ericaceae)
7 -
Potentilla sp.
(Rosaceae) - a late season flowering plant, here with early snow in September.
8 -
Aster sp.
(Asteraceae), another holarctic element, is represented by several species.
