(Murcia : Universidad de Murcia, Servicio de Publicaciones, 1993) Ortega, M.; Levassor, C.; Casado, M.A.; Facultad de Biología
The phenology of Mediterranean pastures was studied along an altitudinal gradient in relation to geomorphology and consumption of plants by large and medium-size herbivores. Diversity parameters were used
to analyze the percentage of species in four phenological states (vegetative growth, flowering, fmiting and
decay or dormancy) throughout an annual cycle. The distribution of phenological states in time varied from
the most heterogeneous situations in low altitude pastures -in which different phenological states predominated at different times-. to more uniform situations at higher altitudes with a predominante of vegetative
growth. The altitudinal rise was also accompanied by a shortening and delay in the reproductive phenophases.
These trends also appeared when comparing upper and lower slope zones or unfenced and fenced plots.
Phenological organ