Phenological Patterns of Tropical Dry Forests along Latitudinal and Successional Gradients in the Neotropics

• Published in: Tropical Dry Forests in the Americas pp. 119 - 146
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: United Kingdom CRC Press 2014; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Botany & plant sciences; Geographical information systems (GIS) & remote sensing; Fa Ll; Monthly Rainfall; Extended Owering; Successional Stages; Owering Intensity; Pe Rc; Dispersal Syndrome; Fruiting Intensity; Phenological Patterns; Calycophyllum Candidissimum; Costa Rica; Late Successional Stages; Ui Ts; Owering Periods; TDF; Intermediate Successional Stages; Early Successional Stages; Successional Gradients; Full Leaf; Latitudinal Gradient; Seed Dispersal Patterns; Santa Rosa
• ISBN: 1466512008; 9781466512009
• DOI: 10.1201/b15417-10

Latitudinal Gradient: A Synthesis ... 122 7.5 Conclusions ... 125 Appendix ... 126The study of periodic biological phenomena in relation to climatic changes over time is generally known as phenology (Stearns 1974). Phenology is a signicant component of biological populations and communities because it affects several features of plant species; vegetation composition and structure; and ecological interactions between plants and animals such as pollination, herbivory, frugivory, and seed dispersal. Hence, the research of phenological patterns of plant growth and reproduction is critical to understand the processes related to productivity, forest succession, and the functioning of ecosystems (Newstrom et al. 1994).