Effects of altitude on co-flowering phenology in a montane wildflower community

Abstract

Phenology is an important life history trait. As altitude increases in alpine environments, the growing season shortens and flowering phenology is more compressed. Co-flowering could occur more at higher elevations as a compensation for the shorter growing season. However, interspecific competition is another force that could result in no change in co-flowering as altitude changes. I examined whether co-flowering changes as altitude changes. I censused wildflower species throughout the 2010 growing season in Virginia Basin outside of Gothic, Colorado. I found that co-flowering does not change significantly as over an altitudinal gradient from 2900 m to 3700 m above sea level. Instead, all species may shorten their flowering periods. Other changes in plant phenology and community did occur. Examining this question over an altitudinal gradient could serve as a proxy for long-term climate change studies.

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