How do mountain peaks get above the tree line?
Quick Answer
As elevation rises, temperatures drop and growing conditions worsen until trees can no longer survive.
The Full Story
The tree line is the highest altitude at which trees can grow, and above it the climate becomes too cold, windy, or dry for forest to persist. Temperature generally falls with altitude, and the growing season becomes shorter, soils thinner, and snow cover more persistent. The exact height of the tree line varies by latitude and climate: it is much higher in the tropics than near the poles. Above the tree line, alpine meadows, shrubs, lichens, and bare rock dominate instead. This boundary is one of the most visible ways mountains show climate change with height.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The altitude where forests end and mountain worlds begin"