Plant reproductive phenology in a temperate forest of the Monarch Butterfly biosphere reserve, Mexico
Monthly flowering and fruiting observations were recorded for the most dominant species (11 annual herbs, 72 perennial herbs, 21 shrubs, and 8 trees) in a temperate forest, during 2004, in the Cerro Altamirano Core Zone of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in central Mexico. Intraspecific synchrony in flowering and fruiting of eight woody species was estimated by monitoring 20 individuals of each. Flowering and fruiting occurred mainly during the rainy season and at the beginning of the dry season (Jul-Dec) and showed a low degree of seasonality. Reproductive activity within growth forms occurred in different periods: 1) annual and perennial herbs flowered principally during the rainy season and at the beginning of the dry season, while their fruiting peaked during the dry season; 2) shrubs produced flowers and fruits throughout the year without peaks in any season; and 3) nearly all trees had flowers and fruits during the dry season. Correlations of the number of flowering species at community level and perennial herbs against rainfall showed a significant positive relationship. However, a negative relationship was found between rainfall and number of fruiting species in shrubs and trees. High reproductive synchrony (>60% of individuals in the same phenological phase) was detected in five tree species. Phenological reproductive patterns in the study area, essentially a temperate high altitude forest in the tropics, were similar to those documented for the seasonal lowland tropical forests, mainly explained by annual rainfall and growth form.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
ASOCIACIÓN INTERCIENCIA
2007
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| Online Access: | http://ve.scielo.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0378-18442007000700005 |
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