Alpine Shrew vs Bristlecone Pine

Sorex alpinus compared with Pinus longaeva

Key Differences

• Alpine Shrew is Near Threatened while Bristlecone Pine is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpine Shrew	Bristlecone Pine
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Coniferophyta (Conifers)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Pinopsida (Conifers)
Order	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)	Pinales (Pines & Allies)
Family	Soricidae	Pinaceae (Pine Family)
Genus	Sorex	Pinus (Pines)
Species	Sorex alpinus	Pinus longaeva

Conservation Status

Alpine Shrew

NT — Near Threatened

Bristlecone Pine

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpine Shrew	Bristlecone Pine
Diet	—	Autotroph
Average Lifespan	—	5000 years
Average Length	—	15.0 m
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Ukraine. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Bristlecone Pine

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Range

Found in United States.

Alpine Shrew

The Alpine Shrew (Sorex alpinus) is a species in the genus Sorex. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Found in Ukraine. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Bristlecone Pine

The oldest known living individual tree on Earth, the Great Basin bristlecone pine can live over 5,000 years in the harsh, windswept subalpine environments of the White Mountains of California and the Great Basin region. Their extreme longevity is linked to slow metabolism, dense resinous wood resistant to decay and insects, and harsh high-altitude conditions that limit competition. Tree ring records from bristlecone pines have provided an invaluable climate proxy record extending back thousands of years.