Seasonal changes of forage quality in phrygranic rangelands of westem Crete in relation to altitude

Phrygana are the most extensive type of rangelands in Crete. They cover one third of the island and occur everywhere Ποιη the see-level up to the alpine zone. Their production is undergoing seasonal changes both in quantity and in quality due to climatic variation. The changes in quality were studied along an elevation gradient in westem Crete. Three study sites were selected at the low, middle and high ecological zones with altitudes of 25m, 675m and 1200m, respectively. Sampling was curried out at the end of each season, beginning in the autumn of the growing period 1987-88. The following results were obtained,

a. crude protein content ofthe phryganic live phytomass was increased from the autumn (9%) to the winter (13%) and then declined till the end of summer. Herbs were richer and ranged frοm 14% at the low site to about 20% at the high site during autumn.
b. cell walls (NDF) followed an opposite trend. They varied from 30% in the winter to more than 50% at the end of summer. Phrygana were always richer than herbs.