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Mediterranean Climates

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Phenology: An Integrative Environmental Science

Part of the book series: Tasks for Vegetation Science ((TAVS,volume 39))

Abstract

There are five Mediterranean zones around the world that are located near the west coasts of continents between 30° and 40° latitude. The climate represents a unique transition between arid zones towards the equator and temperate zones poleward. It is characterized by cold to cool, wet winters and warm to hot summers with varying periods of drought. The vegetation is similar in each region with woody, shrubby, and evergreen shrubland plants, sparse grass, scattered evergreen trees, and many species of oak trees. In all zones, anthropogenic disturbances including deforestation, grazing, agricultural development, and fire starting and suppression have changed the vegetation community structure. In general, phenology in the five Mediterranean zones presents a pronounced seasonal rhythm related to vegetation and environmental characteristics, with large variation among species. Whereas heat unit accumulation is the main factor affecting phenology of well-watered plants, phenology of natural Mediterranean vegetation is influenced by drought and plant nutrition in addition to heat units. Climatic fluctuations and drought in particular, directly influence resources availability and indirectly phenology. Like other climate regions, more research is needed to better understand the interaction between weather factors and phenology.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics and Woody Plant Ecosystems, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

    Donatella Spano

  2. Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA, USA

    Richard L. Snyder

  3. Agroecosystem Monitoring Laboratory, Institute of Biometeorology, National Research Council, Sassari, Italy

    Carla Cesaraccio

Authors
  1. Donatella Spano
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  2. Richard L. Snyder
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  3. Carla Cesaraccio
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin — Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    Mark D. Schwartz

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© 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Spano, D., Snyder, R.L., Cesaraccio, C. (2003). Mediterranean Climates. In: Schwartz, M.D. (eds) Phenology: An Integrative Environmental Science. Tasks for Vegetation Science, vol 39. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0632-3_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0632-3_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-1580-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-0632-3

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