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It has always struck me. Yeah, and i know that's a thing among the boreal/hemiboreal forests to need less precipitation volume (here Ushuaia is very green and has "only" 530mm a year on like 180 days), but in that area of Canada the standard is specially low, at a point that it almost defies logic.
Banff averages 470mm on 140 days, and Jasper even lower: 390mm on 130 days. By comparison, Aspen, Colorado averages over 630mm and it looks clearly more arid despite its overall greenery, and West Glacier, Montana averages 740mm on 155 days and yet it looks a bit less green than those canadian towns.
Discuss.
Note that I am just making speculations here without being an expert in the subject.
Neither Banff nor Jasper are arid/semi-arid. Banff has 136% the precipitation of Koppen's B threshold and Jasper has 185%.
The type of soil has a major effect on which plants can grow. Soil is probably the third most influential factor after temperatures and precipitation. I don't know specifically what soil those places have, but Banff/Jasper may have a better soil.
Aspen, CO gets more of its precipitation as snow. Snow may sublimate without soaking into the ground.
Aspen's higher elevation may lead to a higher evaporation rate because the water boils at lower temperatures when pressure is lower.
Why are Banff and Jasper, AL so green despite their low precipitation?
Because of year round snow and glacier melt. There's plenty enough of slow seeps and run-off water up there as long as the Rocky Mountains ranges get snow each winter. Which they always do, (so far).
haha i was trying a metaphor, saying that Banff looks so green, as if it were located in Alabama
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoisite
Why are Banff and Jasper, AL so green despite their low precipitation?
Because of year round snow and glacier melt. There's plenty enough of slow seeps and run-off water up there as long as the Rocky Mountains ranges get snow each winter. Which they always do, (so far).
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I thought of that, too, but Montana and Colorado rockies have a lot of snow too (even more) and they don't look as green. Remember that canadian Rockies aren't as glaciated as the Cascade Range of BC is.
haha i was trying a metaphor, saying that Banff looks so green, as if it were located in Alabama
I thought of that, too, but Montana and Colorado rockies have a lot of snow too (even more) and they don't look as green. Remember that canadian Rockies aren't as glaciated as the Cascade Range of BC is.
lower evapotranspiration in Banff/Jasper than further south because its colder and therefore greener.
I thought of that, too, but Montana and Colorado rockies have a lot of snow too (even more) and they don't look as green. Remember that canadian Rockies aren't as glaciated as the Cascade Range of BC is.
Montana and Colorado are still more arid and have less humidity in the air. Did you research and do comparisons of the differences in the species of trees and other vegetation that thrive in the respective locations? They aren't all the same species and don't all have the same needs. Also, as QIDb602 mentioned, there is the differences in PH levels and types of soils and minerals to take into consideration. The southern Rockies tend toward more alkaline soils and more "rugged" vegetation than the northern Rockies which tend toward more acidic and peaty soils and more numerous acid loving vegetation. And some of the solid rock peaks have different stone type and density from each other, some being porous and retaining and releasing more moisture from within the stone while those with less porous rock are less hospitable since the stone holds less moisture. So the numbers and types of plants/trees that grow in the different locations isn't entirely dependent on how much precipitation they get, there's many other things to factor in. Even the colours and shades of the vegetation in the south is different from those in the north.
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