Components of productivity of Mediterranean-climate regions Basic and applied aspects

1. Stand Productivity

   1. Biomass Structure and Utilization of the Natural Vegetation in the Winner Rainfall Region of South Africa

      • M. C. Rutherford

      Pages 135-149

   2. The Effects of Fire Intensity, Aspect and Substrate on Post-Fire Growth of Californian Coastal Sage Scrub

      • W. E. Westman, J. F. O’Leary, G. P. Malanson

      Pages 151-179

   3. Producers and the Fire Cycle in a Phryganic Ecosystem

      • M. Arianoutsou-Faraggitaki, N. S. Margaris

      Pages 181-190

   4. Productivity and Nutritional Responses of Chamaebatia Foliolosa (Rosaceae) to Seasonal Burning

      • Philip W. Rundel, Gail A. Baker, David J. Parsons

      Pages 191-196

   5. Biomass, Productivity and Succession in the Scrub of the Doñana Biological Reserve in Southwest Spain

      • J. Merino, A. Martin Vicente

      Pages 197-203

   6. Species Structure and Productivity in Grasslands of Northern Greece

      • V. P. Papanastasis

      Pages 205-217

2. Biomass Utilization

   1. Biomass Utilization

      • N. S. Margaris, H. Lieth

      Pages 219-219

   2. Biomass and Net Primary Productivity of Portuguese Forests

      • Luís S. Barreto, António D. Fabião

      Pages 221-227

   3. Utilizations of Mediterranean Forest Biomass for making Energy and Organics

      • D. Alexandrian

      Pages 229-234

   4. Biomass Yield of Short-Rotation Platanus Species in Greece

      • K. P. Panetsos

      Pages 235-238

   5. Maquis Biomass for Energy; Costs and Benefits

      • N. S. Margaris

      Pages 239-242

   6. Conversion of Biomass into Energy and Chemicals by Thermolytic Methods

      • J. L. Philippou

      Pages 243-255

3. Plant and Stand Environment

   1. Plant and Stand Environment

      • P. C. Miller

      Pages 257-257

   2. Low Temperature Effects on Mediterranean Sclerophylls: An Unconventional Viewpoint

      • W. Larcher

      Pages 259-266

   3. Light and Energy Environments of Chaparral and Matorral in Southern California and Central Chile

      • P. C. Miller

      Pages 267-276

   4. Temperature Germination Responses in Three Mediterranean Evergreen Sclerophylls

      • K. Mitrakos

      Pages 277-279

Our knowledge of the functional characteristics of the plants of mediterranean-cl imate regions has increased greatly in the past decade. In recent times the possibility of large-scale util ization of biomass for energy from these regions has been proposed. In order to assess the feasibil ity of these proposals we must consider the productive structure of these plant communities and how they vary through time and space. This symposium was an attempt to examine our recently acquired basic knowledge of the environmental I imitations on the productivity of Mediterranean plant communities in relation to the consequences of the possible util ization of these communities for energy and chemicals. Specifically in this book we examine the mechanisms by which plants of mediterranean-cl imate regions maintain their productive capacity under the prevail ing conditions of summer draught and winter cold. We consider the characteristics of leaves, their history, morphology and plasticity. Evergreen sclerophyll leaves are common to the dominant plants of all mediterranean-cl imate regions and thus they have significance in terms of enhancing carbon gain and water-use efficiency as well as ensuring survival under the prevail ing cl imatic conditions.

• Rosaceae
• Vegetation
• carbon
• forest
• growth
• nutrition
• plant
• tree

• Laboratory of Ecology, University of Thessaloniki, Greece

  N. S. Margaris, H. A. Mooney

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