Convergence in vegetation structure in the mediterranean communities of California, Chile and South Africa (original) (raw)
Summary
Plant communities on desert to montane transects in the mediterranean type climatic areas in southern California, central Chile and the Cape, South Africa have been analysed to determine the extent of vegetation convergence. Data on floristic richness, growth form, leaf duration, leaf size, and spineseence, of the woody plants, collected by Parsons & Moldenke (1975) from analogous climatic sites in California and Chile, were compared with data from analogous sites in the Cape. Considerable convergence in vegetation structure between floristically distinct but climatically similar sites in California and Chile has been demonstrated by Parsons & Moldenke (1975). Cape vegetation, however, shows little convergence to these mediterranean regions. In Cape desert communities succulence rather than drought deciduousness is the principal adaptive strategy. Cape fynbos communities show major differences from communities at analogous sites on the other continents. Much of the divergence between fynbos and the vegetation of the other continents can be attributed to the nutrient-poor soils on which fynbos has evolved.
Access this article
Subscribe and save
- Get 10 units per month
- Download Article/Chapter or eBook
- 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
- Cancel anytime Subscribe now
Buy Now
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.
Instant access to the full article PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
- Acocks, J.P.H. 1953. Veld types of South Africa. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Afr. No. 40: 1–128.
- Beadle, N.C.W. 1966. Soil phosphate and its role in molding segments of the Australian flora and vegetation, with special reference to xeromorphy and selerophylly. Ecology 47: 992–1007.
Google Scholar - Castri, F.di & H.A., Mooney (eds.). 1973. Mediterranean Type Ecosystems, Origin and Structure. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 405 pp.
Google Scholar - Cody, M.L. & H.A., Mooney. 1978. Convergence versus non convergence in mediterranean-climate ecosystems. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 9: 256–321.
Google Scholar - Gates, D. 1968. Transpiration and leaf temperature. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 19: 211–238.
Google Scholar - Goldblatt, P. 1978. An analysis of the flora of southern Africa: Its characteristics, relationships, and origins. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 65: 369–436.
Google Scholar - Janzen, D.H. 1974. Tropical blackwater rivers, animals, and mast fruiting by the Dipterocarpaceae. Biotropica 6: 69–103.
Google Scholar - Johnson, L.A.S. & B.G., Briggs. 1975. On the Proteaceae-the evolution and classification of a southern family. Austral. J. Bot. 11: 21–61.
Google Scholar - Joubert, J.G.V. 1968. Die ekologie van die weiveld van die Robertson-Karoe. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. Stellenbosch.
- Kruger, F.J. 1979. South African heathlands, pp. 19–80 in: R.L., Specht (ed.) Heatlands and Related Shrublands of the Worlds. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Google Scholar - Louw, G. N. 1969. The nutritive value of natural grazings in South Africa. Proc. S. Afr. Soc. Anim. Prod. (1969): 57–61.
- Milewski, A.V. 1979. A climatic basis for the study of convergence of vegetation structure in mediterranean Australia and southern Africa. J. Biogeog. 6: 293–299.
Google Scholar - Monk, C.D. 1966. An ecological significance of evergreeness. Ecology 47: 504–505.
Google Scholar - Mooney, H.A. (ed.). 1977. Convergent Evolution in Chile and California: Mediterranean Climate Ecosystems. Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Stroudsberg, Pa. 224 pp.
Google Scholar - Mooney, H.A. & E.L., Dunn. 1970. Convergent evolution of mediterranean-climate selerophyll shrubs. Evolution 24: 292–303.
Google Scholar - Mooney, H.A., Dunn, E.L., Shropshire, F. & L., Song. 1970. Vegetation comparisons between the mediterranean climate areas of California and Chile. Flora 159: 480–496.
Google Scholar - Naveh, Z. & R.H., Whittaker. 1980. Structural and floristic diversity of shrublands and woodlands in Northern Israel and other mediterranean areas. Vegetatio 41: 171–190.
Google Scholar - Olivier, M.C. 1966. Die plantegroci en flora van die Worcester veldreservaat. D. Sc. Thesis, Univ. Stellenbosch.
- Orlóci, L. 1975. Multivariate Analysis in Vegetation Research. Junk, The Hague. 276 pp.
Google Scholar - Parsons, D.J. 1976. Vegetation structure in mediterranean communities of California and Chile. J. Ecol. 64: 435–447.
Google Scholar - Parsons, D.J. & A.R., Moldenke. 1975. Convergence in vegetation structure along analogous climatic gradients in California and Chile. Ecology 56: 950–957.
Google Scholar - Small, E. 1973. Xeromorphy in plants as a possible basis for migration between arid and nutritionally deficient environments. Bot. Notiser 126: 534–539.
Google Scholar - Specht, R.L. 1979. Heathland and related shrublands of the world, pp. 1–19 in: R.L., Specht (ed.). Heathlands and Related Shrublands of the World. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Google Scholar - Strahler, A.N. 1969. Physical Geography. (3rd. ed.). Wiley, New York.
Google Scholar - Taylor, H.C. 1978. Capensis, pp. 171–229 in: M.J.A., Werger (ed.). Biogeography and Ecology of Southern Africa. Junk, The Hague.
Google Scholar - Ting, I.P. & S.R., Szarek. 1975. Drought adaptation in crassulacean acid metabolism plants, pp. 55–68 in: N.F., Hadley (ed.). Environmental Physiology of Desert Organisms Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Stroudsberg, Pa.
Google Scholar
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
- Botany Department, University of Cape Town, 7700, Rond ebosch, South Africa
R. M. Cowling - Botanical Research Institute, P.O. Box 471, 7600, Stellenbosch, South Africa
B. M. Campbell
Authors
- R. M. Cowling
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - B. M. Campbell
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Additional information
We thank Mr. F.J. Kruger for help with pre-project planning, Ms. E. Esterhuysen for aid with identifications, D.J. Parsons for unpublished data, and H.W. Bond, H.P. Linder, H.A. Mooney, D.J. Parsons, R.K. Peet, P.H. Raven, J.C. Scheepers, H.C. Taylor, R.H. Whittaker, and an anonymous reviewer for comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by a C.S.I.R. post-graduate grant (R. Cowling), the Fynbos Biome Environmental Project and the Botanical Research Institute.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cowling, R.M., Campbell, B.M. Convergence in vegetation structure in the mediterranean communities of California, Chile and South Africa.Vegetatio 43, 191–197 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00158749
- Accepted: 25 March 1980
- Issue Date: December 1980
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00158749