Altitudinal transect - Czechia

The lowest (submontane; 400?800 m a.s.l.) areas are covered with a mosaic of meadows (approximately 35% of the area), fields (5%), autochthonous deciduous and mixed forests (30%), and allochthonous pure Norway spruce (Picea abies) plantations (30%). Beech (Fagus sylvatica), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), alder (Alnus glutinosa and A. incana) and rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) are dominant tree species in autochthonous forests. The montane belt (800?1250 m a.s.l.) is covered with both native and planted mountain spruce forests (about 95% of the area) and flower rich montane meadows. The majority of the montane spruce forest stands still show some degree of damage due to air pollution, which negatively affected spruce stands from the beginning of the mid 1970s to the end of the 1980s. Dwarf pine stands (Pinus mugo), virgin and secondary mat-grasslands (Nardus stricta)are concentrated in the subalpine belt (1250?1450 m a.s.l.) around the summit plateau. The highest peaks reach up to the alpine belt covered with tundra vegetation(over 1450 m a.s.l.)dominated by lichens, mosses, grasses and small shrubs.