Alps conifer and mixed forests
The Alps conifer and mixed forests is a temperate coniferous forest ecoregion in central Europe. It extends along the Alps mountains through portions of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Alps to its peaks, which include Mont Blanc, at the highest peak in the Alps.
The Alps forests are at the transition between the Mediterranean climate regions of southern Europe and the more humid and temperate Euro-Siberian region of western, central, and northern Europe.
Flora
The ecoregion's elevational range, and its central location between Europe's climatic regions, support a variety of plant communities and species. The ecoregion has 4,500 native vascular plant species, including 400 endemic species.The forests on the lower slopes are mostly deciduous broadleaf trees, including the oaks Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, Quercus pubescens. Broadleaf sclerophyllous evergreen trees are found in southern valleys adjacent to Mediterranean-climate regions.
Montane forests include a mix of conifers Norway spruce, Silver fir, and mountain pine, with the broadleaf deciduous European beech, aspen, silver birch and downy birch. In more continental-climate parts of the range, European larch, arolla pine, and Scots pine replace Pinus mugo. Scots pine and Pinus mugo can form a hybrid pine Pinus × rhaetica. Black pine occurs on some south facing slopes in the eastern part of the range.
Subalpine and alpine plant communities including heath and alpine tundra occur above the timberline, and include many endemic species.
Fauna
The Alps are home to 80 species of mammals. Large mammals include Eurasian brown bear, Alpine ibex, Alpine chamois, Eurasian lynx, wolf, wild boar, red deer, and roe deer.The Alps are home to 200 species of birds, including lammergeier, western capercaillie and rock ptarmigan.