The study about gradient altitude in the meadows field begins in the last twenty years in our country. The gradient as a scientifically approach are imported from Latin language as “gradiens”, first used in mathematics sciences, climatology, etc. between the firsts applications was the study for the altitude dynamics, at each 100 m can be observed the differences in the air temperature as thermo gradient, also for precipitations as hidric gradient. In the last decade also was used for describe the ecosystems variables in order of distance, altitude or dept (Encyclopaedic Dictionary, 1996). In the mountain meadows has been observed great differences in the structure of meadows vegetation induced by altitude and relief forms. At the same time was illustrated by the researches in this field, the great variability induced by altitude for the abiotic life condition for the meadows vegetation. The paper aims was to show the altitude gradient influence on the pastoral meadows features as: the dynamics of dominant vegetal community and pastoral value, also about the biodiversity level. The paper make an analyses of the most important Rumanian scientifically references about the altitudinal gradient in mountain meadows. The researches about altitude gradient were carried on mountain pastures between 1000-1800 altitude, and also in the human activities dynamics. The research methods were the double square method and the biodiversity Shannon Weawer Index. We consider the study of the interrelation between the altitude gradient and the meadows main features, between the first studies in this field. The limits of the researches are in correlation with the low altitude of the investigated meadows, between 100 and 1000 meters. As a researches utility we consider the possibility to control the meadows management in the wished direction, as production and quality levels. The altitude gradients have a great importance in the plants live, and represent among the meadows management, mainly production and quality restrictive factor.

elevation gradient; mountain grassland; vegetation; biodiversity

Presentation: oral