Tree line climbs higher toward the equator as mountain climates warm
On a mountain slope, forests stop at a ragged edge called the tree line — above it, cold, wind, and a short growing season keep upright trees from closing canopy.
Near the equator that edge sits far higher than in the Arctic, because warmer air and stronger sunlight push forest climate upward before alpine cold wins. Aspect, snowpack, and soil depth nudge the line locally.
Elevation is a climate dial. Tree line shows how mountains stack biomes vertically, turning a single peak into a ladder of climate zones from forest to tundra.
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