This work aims to provide a complete overview of an alpine ecosystem, based on the long-term research conducted at Niwot Ridge, Colorado, USA. The alpine ecosystem features conditions near the limits of biological existence, and is a useful laboratory for asking more general ecological questions.

Contributors Foreword 1: William D. Bowman: Introduction: Historical Perspectives on Significance of Alpine Ecosystem Studies I Physical Environment 2: David Greenland: Climate 3: herman Sievering: Atmospheric Chemistry and Deposition 4: Nel Caine: Geomorphic Systems of Green Lakes Valley 5: Mark W. Williams and Nel Caine: Hydrology and Hydrochemistry II Ecosystem Structures 6: Marilyn D. Walker et al: The Vegetation: Hierarchical Species-Environment Relationships 7: David M. Armstrong et al: Vertebrates 8: Timothy R. Seastedt: Soils III Ecosystem Function 9: Willaim D. Bowman and Melany C. Fisk: Primary Production 10: Russell K. Monson et al: Plant Nutrient Relations 11: Timothy R. Seastedt: Controls on Decomposition Processes in Alpine Tundra 12: Melany C. Fisk et al: Nitrogen Cycling 13: Steven K. Schmidt et al: Soil-Atmosphere Gas Exchange 14: Denise Dearing: Plant-Herbivore Interactions IV Past and Future 15: Scott A. Elias: Paleoecology and Late Quaternary Environments of the Colorodo Rockies 16: Jeffrey M. Welker et al: Environmental Chagne and Future Directions in Alpine Research Index

"The references at the end of each chapter are extensive and valuable. . . . there are no books at present that detail general alpine ecosystem science."--International Journal of Environmental Studies "The case is made [in this book] ... that the alpine ecosystem is intimately linked to ecosystems at lower altitudes. ... Thus, events and processes in the alpine may have broader consequences than one might suspect. ... The book is potentially of interest to a broad audience, and ... it will serve as a good introduction to what is known about the Colorado alpine tundra from an ecosystem perspective, a benchmark for comparison with arctic and alpine tundra elsewhere, and as a summary of much o the research done at the Niwot Ridge LTER site."--Ecology "Structure and Function of an Alpine Ecosystem summarizes and synthesizes more than four decades of alpine research undertaken at this high-elevation location. ... a number of high quality black-and-white photographs of the Niwot Ridge/Green Lakes site ... enhance the pleasure of reading through the technical material. ... a valuable compendium and summary of information on the alpine world of North America, especially the Southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado. ... all serious fans of alpine environments will want to read this book if not own it."--Natural Areas Journal "Based on findings at the Mountain Research Station and studies at Niwot Ridge since the 1950s, environmental and earth scientists, many from the University of Colorado at Boulder, contribute to the understanding of the complex ecology of mountain regions. They look at the physical environment, the ecosystem structure and function, the paleoecology and late quaternary environments of the Colorado Rockies, and environmental change and future directions in alpine research."--SciTech Book News "The references at the end of each chapter are extensive and valuable. . . . there are no books at present that detail general alpine ecosystem science."--International Journal of Environmental Studies "The case is made [in this book] ... that the alpine ecosystem is intimately linked to ecosystems at lower altitudes. ... Thus, events and processes in the alpine may have broader consequences than one might suspect. ... The book is potentially of interest to a broad audience, and ... it will serve as a good introduction to what is known about the Colorado alpine tundra from an ecosystem perspective, a benchmark for comparison with arctic and alpine tundra elsewhere, and as a summary of much o the research done at the Niwot Ridge LTER site."--Ecology "Structure and Function of an Alpine Ecosystem summarizes and synthesizes more than four decades of alpine research undertaken at this high-elevation location. ... a number of high quality black-and-white photographs of the Niwot Ridge/Green Lakes site ... enhance the pleasure of reading through the technical material. ... a valuable compendium and summary of information on the alpine world of North America, especially the Southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado. ... all serious fans of alpine environments will want to read this book if not own it."--Natural Areas Journal