Phenological patterns in Mediterranean south Iberian serpentine flora

Abstract

Phenological phases have been studied in Mediterranean serpentine shrubland vegetation in the south of the Iberian Peninsula to obtain a phenological characterization of the serpentine flora and to make a comparison between endemic serpentine and non‐serpentine plants in different years and altitudes. For this purpose, data were taken in the serpentine ecosystem of Sierra Bermeja (Andalusia, Spain) establishing two plots on two altitudinal bioclimatic belts and during two different years. A total of 28 persistent taxa were studied, including both serpentinophytes, their magnesicolous allies and non‐serpentinophytes, to detect possible differences between serpentine and non‐endemic taxa. Phenological calendars and phenological patterns (phenophasic indexes) were obtained. The species showed phenophasic patterns similar to those of other studied Mediterranean flora: a phenological pause coinciding with summer and most species behaving as summer semi‐deciduous with seasonal dimorphism. There were no statistically significant differences in phenology and in phenological indexes due to altitude or serpentine affinity. The best represented active phenophasic period of the species was 9–11 months of activity although showing the summer phenological pause. Species with low index of reproductive/vegetative activity of the species predominated, employing more time/resources for vegetative functions, and with synchronous phenophases, where flowering and growth coincide. The phenophasic period of serpentinophytes and magnesicolous taxa pointed to a certain delay in the period of flowering with respect to the group of non‐serpentinophytes, a result which could have important implications for reproduction.

An updated checklist of serpentinophytes for research and conservation in ultramafic ecosystems on the southern Iberian Peninsula (Spain)

“…From a bioclimatic perspective, most of the serpentinophytes were found within at least two bioclimatic belts, which could indicate an adaptation more directed to the ultramafic substrate and its hostile characteristics and to the Mediterranean's macro bioclimate (Hidalgo‐Triana & Pérez‐Latorre, 2018) than an adaptation restricted to certain altitudinal belts and temperature ranges. However, there is a group of thermophilic taxa, including Allium rouyi , Galatella malacitana , and Notholaena marantae , that could combine their serpentine adaptation with a thermophilic adaptation.…”

Plant phenology influences rhizosphere microbial community and is accelerated by serpentine microorganisms in Plantago erecta

“…If the microbial community influences plant phenology to a greater extent than soil chemistry, we can expect to see significant differences in plant development in soil treatments with non-adapted microorganisms relative to soil treatments with adapted microbes. It is important to understand the relative influence of these factors on plant phenology because the reproductive success of an individual plant and the plant community structure is directly related to plant phenology (Fenner 1998;Rodríguez-Pérez and Traveset 2016;Hidalgo-Triana and Pérez-Latorre 2018). Reserve is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers from April to October.…”

Plant phenology influences rhizosphere microbial community and is accelerated by serpentine microorganisms inPlantago erecta

“…The copyright holder for this preprint this version posted March 29, 2021. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.29.437500 doi: bioRxiv preprint structure is directly related to plant phenology (Fenner 1998;Rodríguez-Pérez and Traveset 2016;Hidalgo-Triana and Pérez-Latorre 2018). Reserve is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers from April to October.…”

“…If the microbial community influences plant phenology to a greater extent than soil chemistry, we can expect to see significant differences in plant development in soil treatments with non-adapted microorganisms relative to soil treatments with adapted microbes. It is important to understand the relative influence of these factors on plant phenology because the reproductive success of an individual plant and the plant community structure is directly related to plant phenology (Fenner 1998; Rodríguez-Pérez and Traveset 2016; Hidalgo-Triana and Pérez-Latorre 2018).…”