Abstract
The phenological pattern of fifteen Mediterranean phanaerophytes has been studied in several sites per species, by visiting the populations on a monthly basis over a one year period. Studied phenophases were dolichoblast vegetative growth (DVG), flower bud formation (FBF), flowering (F), fruit setting (FS), seed dispersal (SD), and leaf shedding of dolichoblasts (LSD). Considering the whole set of species, DVG, FBF and F took place mainly in spring, FS in summer, SD in autumn and LSD in summer and in autumn. Interspecific comparisons showed a wide variety of phenological patterns, which have been sorted according to the 'phenophase sequence index' (PSI). This index quantified the degree of superposition between DVG, FBF and F, and it constituted the basis for a functional classification of phenological patterns. Two groups were established. The 'type I' group was characterised by the concentration of phenophases in a short time in spring, while the 'type II' by the protraction and sequential arrangement of phenophases. Type I species performed most of their functions during a resource surplus period, but they have to face an intraplant competition between vegetative and reproductive demands. Type II species avoided intraplant competition but had to develop part of DVG, FBF and F during sub-optimal periods. It is hypothesised that type I species possess deeper roots, rely on predictable water sources and occupy mature stages of succession. Type II species, on the contrary, are expected to depend on more unpredictable water sources, to possess shallower root systems and to colonise earlier stages of succession. Intraspecific variability of phenology was found to be low among populations of the same species. Bud structure, which is a phylogenetic trait, may exert important constraints on plant phenology.
Nomenclature: Flora Iberica – Castroviejo et al. 1986–1997, Flora Europaea – Tutin et al. 1964–1980.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker, G. A., Rundel, P.W. & Parsons, D. J. 1982. Comparative phenology and growth in three chaparral shrubs. Botanical Gazette 143: 94-100.
Beatley, J. C. 1974. Phenological events and their environmental triggers in Mojave desert ecosystems. Ecology 55: 856-863.
Bertiller, M. R., Beekow, A. M. & Coronato, F. 1991. Seasonal environmental variation and plant phenology in arid Patagonia (Argentina). J. Arid Env. 21: 1-11.
Bloom, A. J., Chapin III, F. S. & Mooney, H. A. 1985. Resource limitation in plants. An economic analogy. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 16: 363-392.
Braun-Blanquet, J. & Bolòs, O. 1957. Les groupements vegetaux du Bassin Moyen de l’Ebre et leur dynamisme. Ann. Estación Experimental de Aula Dei 5: 1-266.
Cabezudo B., Navarro T., Pérez Latorre A. V., Nieto Caldera J. M. & Orshan G. 1992. Estudio fenomorfológico en la vegetación del sur de España. I. CistusL. Acta Bot. Malacitana 17: 229-237.
Cabezudo, B., Pérez Latorre, A. V., Navarro, T. & Nieto Caldera, J. M. 1993. Estudio fenomorfológico en la vegetación del sur de España. II. Alcornocales Mesomediterráneos (Montes de Málga, Málaga). Acta Bot. Malacitana 18: 179-188.
Castro-Díez, P. 1996. Variaciones estructurales y funcionales de los fanerófitos dominantes en las comunidades de encinar a lo largo de un gradiente climático atlántico-mediterráneo. Doctoral Thesis. Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de León.
Castroviejo, S., Aedo, C., Gómez Campo, C., Laínz, M., López González, G., Montserrat, P., Morales, R., Muñoz Garmendia, F., Nieto Feliner, G., Rico, E., Talavera, S. & Villar, L. (eds), 1986- 1997. Flora Iberica. Vols. I-V and VIII. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.
De Lillis, M. & Fontanella, A. 1992. Comparative phenology and growth in different species of the Mediterranean maquis of central Italy. Vegetatio 99-100: 83-96.
Duhme, F. & Hinckley, T.M. 1992. Daily and seasonal variation in water relations of macchia shrubs and trees in France (Montpellier) and Turkey (Anatalya). Vegetatio 99-100: 185-198.
Evenari, M., Schulze, E. D., Kappen, L., Buschbom, U. & Lange, O.L. 1975. Adaptative mechanisms in desert plants. Pp. 111- 129. In: Vernberg, E. J. (ed.), Physiological Adaptations to the Environment.
Floret, C., Galan, M. J., Floc’h, E. l., Leprince, F. & Romane, F., 1989. France. Pp. 9-97. In: Orshan, G. (ed.), Plant pheno-morphological studies in Mediterranean type ecosystems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.
Friedel, M. H., Nelson, D. J., Sparrow, A. D., Kinloch, J. E. & Maconochie, J. R 1993. What induces Central Australian arid zone trees and shrubs to flower and fruit? Australian J. Bot. 41: 307-319.
Kozlowski, T. T. 1971. Growth and development of trees. Physiological Ecology, 1. Academic Press. New York.
Kozlowski, T. T. 1992. Carbohydrate sources and sinks in woody plants. Bot. Rev. 58: 109-224.
Kummerow, J. 1981. Structure of roots and root systems. Pp. 269- 288. In: Di Castri, F., Goodall, D. W. & Specht, R. L. (eds), Mediterranean-type shrublands. Ecosystems of the world 11. Elsevier. Amsterdam.
Kummerow, J. 1983. Comparative phenology of Mediterraneantype plant communities. Pp. 300-317. In: Kruger, F. J., Mitchell, D. T. & Jarvis, J. U. M. (eds), Mediterranean-type ecosystems. The role of nutrients. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Larcher W. 1995. Physiological plant ecology. Springer-Verlag. Berlin.
Lechowicz, M. J. 1995. Seasonality of flowering and fruiting in temperate deciduous forest trees. Can. J. Bot. 73: 175-182.
Mitrakos, K. A. 1980. A theory for Mediterranean plant life. Acta Oecol. 1: 245-252.
Mooney, H. A. & Hays, R. I. 1973. Carbohydrate storage cycles in two Californian Mediterranean climate trees. Flora 162 S: 295- 304.
Mooney, H. A. 1983. Carbon-gaining capacity and allocation patterns of Mediterranean climate plants. Pp. 103-119. In: Kruger, F. J., Mitchell, D. T. & Jarvis, J. U. M. (eds), Mediterranean-type ecosystems. The role of nutrients. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Mooney, H. A., Parsons, D. J. & Kummerow, J. 1974. Plant development in Mediterranean climates. Pp. 255-267. In: Lieth, H. (ed.), Phenology and seasonality modeling. Springer-Verlag. Berlin.
Nahal, I. 1981. The Mediterranean climate from a biological viewpoint. Pp. 63- 86. In: Di Castri, F., Goodall, D. W. & Specht, R. L. (eds), Mediterranean-type shrublands. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Navarro, T., Nieto-Caldera, J. M., Pérez-La Torre, A. V. & Cabezudo, B. 1993. Estudios fenomorfológicos en la vegetación del sur de España. III. Comportamiento estacional de una comunidad de badlands (Tabernas, Almería. España). Acta Bot. Malacitana 18: 189-198.
Oppenheimer, H. R. 1957. Further observations on roots penetrating into rocks and their structure. Bull. Res. Council Israel 6D: 18- 31.
Orshan, G. (ed.), 1989a. Plant pheno-morphological studies in Mediterranean type ecosystems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.
Orshan, G., 1989b. Israel. Pp. 99-157. In: Orshan, G. (ed.), Plant pheno-morphological studies in Mediterranean type ecosystems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.
Rathcke, B. J. & Lacey, E. P. 1985. Phenological patterns of terrestrial plants. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 16: 179-214.
Rhizopoulou, S., Melitou-Christou, M. S. & Diamantoglou, S. 1991. Water relations for sun and shade leaves of four Mediterranean evergreen sclerophylls. J. Exp. Bot. 42: 627-635.
Specht, R. L. (ed.), 1988. Mediterranean-type ecosystems. A data source book. Tasks for vegetation science 19. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.
Terradas, J. & Savé, R. 1992. The influence of summer and winter stress and water relationships on the distribution of Quercus ilexL. Vegetatio 99-100: 137-145.
Tretiach, M. 1993. Photosynthesis and transpiration of evergreen Mediterranean and deciduous trees in an ecotone during a growing season. Acta Oecol. 14: 341- 360.
Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S.M. & Weeb, D. A. (eds) 1964-1980. Flora Europaea, 1-5. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Wang, J., Ives, N. E. & Lechowicz, M. J. 1992. The relation of foliar phenology to xylem embolism in trees. Funct. Ecol. 6: 469-475.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pilar, CD., Gabriel, MM. Phenological pattern of fifteen Mediterranean phanaerophytes from shape Quercus ilex communities of NE-Spain. Plant Ecology 139, 103–112 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009759318927
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009759318927