Needles versus Leaves – Wintry Challenges for Trees in the Alps

My favourite place to hike in the Alps in winter? A coniferous forest, without a doubt!

When tree branches bend down, heavy with snow, and the forest floor is covered with a fresh layer of snow full of wildlife traces, I truly can’t think of a better place to be!  While the deciduous trees, such as beech, hazel, mountain ash, birch and maple trees, in the valleys and lower slopes look bare without their leaves, at higher elevations, the largest extent of forest is beautifully green. Coniferous forest with spruce, fir, and a variety of pine dominate the higher mountain slopes, but why is that? Why are there so many conifers in the Alps?

Some of the answers lie within the differences between needles and leaves:

• Drought

Needles are smaller than deciduous leaves and have less area to lose water through evaporation. In addition, needles have a waxy layer that prevents evaporation. This means that conifers are generally better able to deal with dry periods. In mountainous areas dry periods are very common, especially in winter when most of the water is frozen. That’s why coniferous trees clearly have an advantage at higher elevations.

• Productivity

However, the production from photosynthesis of a needle is less efficient than that of a deciduous leaf. Fortunately, conifers in the Alps – with the exception of the European larch – remain green all year round. This means that the lower productivity of needles is compensated by the longer activity during the year. After all, deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall and thus also the capacity for photosynthesis.

• Regrowth

The fact that conifers retain their needles throughout the year has another advantage. In the spring they need less energy than deciduous trees who need a lot of energy having to re-grow all their leaves.

Opportunities

That coniferous forests dominate at higher elevations in the Alps is great for us! This time of year, these forests provide extraordinary winter hiking opportunities, because they are teeming with life. Forest dwellers as red squirrels, black woodpeckers, red deer, chamois and many other critters: all of them leave their traces behind in the fresh snow for us to find!  

Bend or Break

Another challenge that trees face in the Alps is the amount of snow in winter. Learn more in my previous Alps Hiking Nature blog:  Bend or Break – Wintry Challenges for Trees in the Alps.

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Simone van Velzen

In her work as an alpine naturalist Simone adds an exciting new dimension to your Tour du Mont Blanc trek with insights into the incredibly rich flora and fauna of the Alps. Simone studied Wildlife Management at the Van Hall Institute in the Netherlands. After her studies she left her home country (which is flatter than a pancake) and moved to British Columbia. In the Canadian Rockies, she discovered the astonishing richness of mountain environments. Her passion for mountain nature was born. And when she returned to Europe, she based herself in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, the perfect setting for exploring and studying the natural history of mountain environments. As an alpine naturalist she writes for outdoor magazines and leads excursions in the natural world.

If you step into the natural world with Simone, her passion for all living things—wild flowers to lichen, birds to mammals—can’t help but rub off on you. She’s excited to meet you on your Tour du Mont Blanc and share the amazing natural wonders in the Alps.

Latest posts by Simone van Velzen (see all)

• The Alps: A Biodiversity Treasure Trove - December 10, 2020
• Flora in the Alps – Spotlight on the Alpenrose - June 25, 2020
• Tour du Mont Blanc Hightlight: The Contamines-Montjoie Nature Reserve - May 21, 2020