Variation in soil moisture conditions creating distinct dry and wet meadow habitat types
Areas of transition between adjacent, distinct ecosystems with unique species assemblages at the fringes of mature stands
Pattern of fire occurrence including frequency, intensity, and timing that shapes ecosystem dynamics
Geometric ground formations created by freeze-thaw processes in alpine environments
The biogeographic transition zone between subalpine forest and alpine tundra, representing the elevational limit of individual trees with an upright growth form