Interspecific and Interannual Variation in Foliar Phenological Patterns in a Successional Mosaic of a Dry Forest in the Central Llanos of Venezuela

The dynamics of leaf shedding and ushing in tropical dry forests (TDFs) have been strongly associated with the marked seasonality characteristic of these ecosystems, especially in relation to soil water availability and air humidity (Frankie et al. 1974; Reich and Borchert 1984; Medina et al. 1990; Borchert et al. 2002; Kushwaha and Singh 2005). The dry season in these forests can extend from three to six months, during which solar radiation and temperatures are comparatively higher with respect to the rainy season (Frankie et al. 1974; Murphy and Lugo 1986). Because leaf buds require water

CONTENTS

17.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 301 17.2 Methods .......................................................................................................303