Above The Treeline : A natural guide to alpine New Zealand

New Zealand’s alpine environment is challenging, not only for the humans who explore it but for the plants and animals that inhabit it. The extremes of temperature, short summers and high rates of erosion make for an uncertain environment, and the flora and fauna have evolved and adapted to it in interesting ways. Above the Treeline: A nature guide to the New Zealand mountains is a guide to the natural history of these fascinating ecosystems. It is the first book to be published that brings together the range of flora and fauna that inhabit the alpine environment. As well as unique alpine plants, which constitute the majority of the book, this guide includes birds; frogs and lizards; butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, beetles and other invertebrates; and mosses and lichens.

An informative introduction is followed by descriptions of more than 850 species, illustrated by approximately 1200 colour photographs. Written by eminent botanist and conservationist Sir Alan Mark, with contributions by Brian Patrick, Rod Morris, Mandy Tocher and David Galloway, this book is an important reference and field guide, and a celebration of the richness of New Zealand’s alpine environment.

Based on a smaller field guide of the same name, published in 2012, this edition has been completely revised and published in a larger format with well over 1200 photographs.