Montane Zone Research Articles

Ecological Aspects of Transpiration. I. Pike's Peak Region: Climatic Aspects

1. A comparison of the plains, montane, and alpine climates of the Pike's Peak region showed that: (a) air and soil temperatures, saturation deficit, and evaporation decrease with increased altitude; (b) radiant energy, relative humidities, rainfall, and holard are usually greater at higher elevations; (c) wind movement is constantly highest in the alpine region, with the plains next, and the montane zone ordinarily the lowest. 2. A comparison of the functional responses of plants in these three climates showed: (a) a decrease of transpiration with increased altitude; (b) a decrease of growth rate with increased altitude. 3. The transpiration curve showed a closer correlation with the air temperature and the relative humidity curves than with any of the other factors measured. 4. Evaporation was approximately five times as great as transpiration in the three regions. 5. Vegetation does not respond to any one factor, but rather to all of the climatic conditions.

Phytogeographical Notes on the Rocky Mountain Region. X. Grasslands and Other Open Formations of the Montane Zone of the Southern Rockies

Phytogeographical Notes on the Rocky Mountain Region. X. Grasslands and Other Open Formations of the Montane Zone of the Southern Rockies

Phytogeographical Notes on the Rocky Mountain Region. IX. Wooded Formations of the Montane Zone of the Southern Rockies

Phytogeographical Notes on the Rocky Mountain Region. IX. Wooded Formations of the Montane Zone of the Southern Rockies

SUBALPINE LAKE–SHORE VEGETATION IN NORTH–CENTRAL COLORADO

Very little has been published on the shore vegetation of lakes in Colorado. Brief references were made to lakes of the Pike's Peak region a number of years ago by Clements (I, 2). A somewhat extended account by the writer and W. W. Robbins (9) described the associations at Redrock Lake, Boulder County, Colorado, in the subalpine zone. Later, a short paper (5) pointed out certain features of shore vegetation in the montane zone. Recently Dr. Robbins has given a most careful and illuminating description (ii) of a number of lakes in the montane zone near Tolland, Colorado. The present writer, dealing with sedges of northern Colorado, has named and characterized (7) certain of the plant associations of lake shores at different altitudes. In a paper by Dodds (3) on the plankton crustacea of Colorado lakes there are some references to vegetation and a very good account of physiography and climate. The following pages give the results of a study of subalpine lakes, the study carried on chiefly from the University of Colorado Mountain Laboratory (8) at Tolland, Colorado, during the last ten years. A later paper will take up alpine lakes. PHYSIOGRAPHY