Subalpine Belt

a high natural belt in the mountains of temperate and subtropical latitudes, in which subalpine vegetation and climate predominate. The subalpine belt is located below the alpine belt and above the mountain-forest belt in humid regions and above the steppe-mountain belt in arid regions. The elevation of the belt depends on the latitude, the slope exposure, and the continentality of the climate. In the Alps and Western Caucasus the subalpine belt is located at 1,700–2,300 m, while in the southern Himalayas it is found at 3,200–4,000 m. At higher latitudes and in regions cooled by ocean currents, the belt is situated much lower; for example, in some places in the Kuril Islands it is found at sea level. The belt features mountain-meadow landforms, with tall-grass subalpine meadows on mountain-meadow soils. The heavy snow cover lasts six to eight months and inhibits the growth of woody vegetation. The subalpine belt usually has rich summer pastures.