Concentrations of ozone often exceed the thresholds of forest protection in the Pyrenees, but the effect of ozone on Pinus uncinata, the dominant species in subalpine forests in this mountainous range, has not yet been studied. We conducted an experiment of free-air ozone fumigation with saplings of P. uncinata fumigated with ambient O₃ (AOT40 May–Oct: 9.2 ppm h), 1.5 × O₃ₐₘb (AOT40 May–Oct: 19.2 ppm h), and 1.8 × O₃ₐₘb (AOT40 May–Oct: 32.5 ppm h) during two growing seasons. We measured chlorophyll content and fluorescence, visible injury, gas exchange, and above- and below-ground biomass. Increased exposures to ozone led to a higher occurrence and intensity of visible injury from O₃ and a 24–29% reduction of root biomass, which may render trees more susceptible to other stresses such as drought. P. uncinata is thus a species sensitive to O₃, concentrations of which in the Pyrenees are already likely affecting this species.

The ranges of the ecosystems move when the climatic pattern changes. Simulations have shown that a global warming would cause important changes of the species composition in subalpine forests. Deciduous trees would invade today's subalpine belt. Various conifers would be displaced and migrate into alpine zone. The model simulations are based on the IPCC climate scenarios.