The Alps

Some General Facts

• The Alps make up one of the great mountain range systems in Europe

• The Alps stretch from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, France, and Monaco in the west

• The range’s highest peak is Mont Blanc on the Italian-French border at an altitude of 4,810.45 m

Geography: Geology

• The Alps arose as a result of a collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates during the Alpine orogeny and they form a belt of Tertiary orogenic mountain chains

• They stretch from the Atlantic Ocean through southern Europe and Asia into the Himalayas

• Most of this happened during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs

• Great pressure formed folds in the rock that rose from the Tethys Sea – This created massive thrust faults

Alpine Flora/Fauna

Alps! Climate

Temp/Climate is incredibly varied

Depends on season/location/altitude

Major Efects on Climate

1) Warm Atlantic

2) Cold air from North Europe

3) Mediterranean

4) Cold and dry in east

Change over Time/Precipitation

1) 2003 driest year in recorded history2) Temperature warmest at present day3) Receding Glaciers4) Rain and Snow are heavy everywhere

Tourism• The Alps are extremely popular as a destination for sightseeing and sports in both summer and winter•During winter months, Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, snowshoeing, and ski tours are popular tourist attractions•In summer months, hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, and mountaineering bring many visitors to the region•The Alps are usually featured in the three-week road cycling race le Tour de France that is held annually in July

Tourism Continued

• The Alps are usually featured in the three-week road cycling race le Tour de France that is held annually in July

Flora

• The Alps are generally divided into five different vegetations zones: premontane, montane, subalpine, alpine and alvar

• Below 1,200 meters above sea level on the north side and 1,500 meters on the southern slopes, the vegetation consists largely of deciduous trees including: oak, beech, ash and sycamore maples

• These native trees are not always found as humans have largely replaced them with Scots pine and Norway spruce

• Above tree line, there are often scattered short pines, and higher up low shrubs, and alpine meadows dominate the landscape

Scots Pine

Alpine Rock Jasmine

Edelweiss Mountain Pine

Austrian Alps

Fauna

• Around 30,000 animal species have been identified in the Alps: 15 species of reptiles, 21 species of amphibians, 80 species of fish, 80 species of mammals, 200 species of birds, and 20,000 invertebrates

• Iconic species of the Alps include the Alpine Ibex, Chamois, Griffon Vulture, Black Grouse, European Lynx and Wolves

Alpine Ibex

• Type of Mountain Goat with long curved horns

• Lives in rough terrain at elevations of 1,800-3,300 meters

• Diet consists largely of lichen, grasses and herbs

• Hunted nearly to extinction, now is a protected species

• Lifespan of 12-15 years

Eurasian Lynx

• Medium sized cat, typically weighing between 20-60 lbs.

• In summer it has a short reddish-brown coat, but in winter it develops a much thicker, silky, grayish-brown coat

• Lives in solitude as an adult, covering large areas of woodland to stalk prey

• Hunts mostly deer goats and small mammals