Plant diversity changes of the subalpine rangelands of Tymfristos Mountain along the altitudional gradient

Rangelands are natural ecosystems representing valuable reserves for biodiversity. The study, preservation and promotion of biodiversity are essential for the modern world. Especially, the subalpine Mediterranean rangelands are believed to sustain an enhanced level of plant diversity. The present study assesses and investigates the plant diversity changes along the altitudinal gradient of Tymfristos Mountain of central Greece. Eleven (11) representative rangelands were chosen in every 100 m, starting from 1200 m above see level. Plant composition, cover percentages, plant richness and a series of plant diversity indexes were measured and assessed. A total of 13,750 point-contacts were recorded. It was found that, bare-ground cover was linearly increased, while plant richness, diversity index of Shannon – Weaver and equitability were linearly decreased as the altitude increased.