Definition: Organic matter in soil which has reached a point of stability, where it will break down no further and might, if conditions do not change, remain essentially as it is for centuries, or millennia.
Definition: An alpine condition is an environmental condition in which the monthly mean temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius and which occurs at altitudes above the tree line and below the snowline.
Definition: A depression caused by erosion by water or ice. Low-lying land bordered by higher ground; especially elongate, relatively large gently sloping depressions of the Earth's surface, commonly situated between two mountains or between ranges of hills or mountains, and often containing a stream with an outlet.
Definition: An alpine condition is an environmental condition in which the monthly mean temperature is less than 10 degrees Celsius and which occurs at altitudes above the tree line and below the snowline.