Alpine and subalpine meadows, alpine mountain ranges (northwest - southeast) cause the collision of hot and cold air masses, resulting in precipitation.
In the subalpine of temperate mountains, stunted, usually infertile individuals of various tree species survive, despite blasts of windblown snow, frost damage, and desiccation.
There are over ten of these vegetation zones in the watershed including the sparsely vegetated alpine and subalpine zones in the mountains, mid-elevation forests of pine, lodgepole and oak, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, the increasingly rare riparian forest and marshes along the river bed, lined with trees and rushes, and the thinly vegetated coastal areas virtually flush with sea level.
Sites of large colonies of voles were, however, identified in subalpine meadows in the mountains west of the valley, but no trapping was done there.
The alpine stage is characterized by high mountain pastures, the subalpine stage by dwarf pine growth, the upper forest stage by spruce, and the lower forest stage by beech.
contorta), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa); (4) mountain shrublands (may include species of Acer, Artemisia, Ceanothus, Juniperus, Prunus, Ribes, Rosa, Rubus, Symphoricarpos, Vaccinium, and others); and (5) alpine meadow.
This forest has Engelmann spruce, mountain hemlock, and subalpine fir.
At higher elevations, mountain hemlock and subalpine fir are the most common trees.
But, after a very tiring mountain climb to the subalpine zone among the volcanos, where the gorillas live, he did catch a glimpse of a magnificent male.
A preference for mountainous or subalpine ecosystems has been noted.
