. However, unlike patterns observed along elevation gradients, in our study taller plants were more frost tolerant than shorter plants. Overall, short stature together with densely packed small leaves of alpine plants may explain why these species are aerodynamically decoupled from the cold air temperature (avoidance strategy) and do not have to rely as strongly on physiological tolerance to frost (tolerance strategy). Multiple strategies by different species in a single community could facilitate species co-existence under harsh conditions like the Tibetan Plateau. These results can help us to better understand the high diversity of alpine plant communities.
Suonan et al. (Fri,) studied this question.