Remote sensing and GIS techniques for spatial and biophysical analyses of alpine treeline through process and empirical models

Introduction Studies of treeline dynamics indicate that many northern and alpine treelines have advanced within the last 100 years (Innes, 1991). In the mountainous west of North America, increased tree growth at the alpine treeline during at least part of the twentieth century has been reported from Colorado (Hansen-Bristow et al, 1988), the Pacific Northwest (Graumlich and Brubaker, 1986), the Sierra

454 Daniel G. Brown et al.