Organism
Alpine Plants
TL;DR
Alpine plants confined to mountaintops separated by lowland valleys experience minimal gene flow between peaks.
Alpine plants confined to mountaintops separated by lowland valleys experience minimal gene flow between peaks. Each population adapts precisely to its local altitude, soil chemistry, and microclimate. Migration is rare (occasional seed carried by wind to distant peak), so selection optimizes each population independently. They demonstrate how low dispersal ability enables strong local adaptation.
Notable Traits of Alpine Plants
- Strong local adaptation
- Low gene flow between populations
- Microclimate specialization