Plant and vegetation responses to a changing environment: an alpine issue

Abstract

Botanica Helvetica has traditionally published scientific papers on all aspects of botanical research. The present issue is specifically devoted to alpine plants. It illustrates how they have adapted to the specific environmental conditions of mountain environments in the past and how they respond to human-induced environmental change presently or in the future. Being based in an Alpine country, Botanica Helvetica has traditionally included a high proportion of studies from the Alps or other mountain regions. The fraction of papers dealing with mountain plants has even been increasing recently. Our most prominent contributions, i.e. those written by famous botanists (e.g. Stebbins 1984) and those most read and most cited in recent years (e.g. Stehlik 2000; Landolt 2006; Parisod 2008) deal with alpine plants. These observations led us to the decision to prepare a special issue on alpine plants. By devoting an entire issue to this topic, we wish to strengthen the emerging link between the journal of the Swiss Botanical Society and research about mountain plants and vegetation. Alpine issue(s)