Edapho-climatic factors have a significant influence on the plant components of seed production. Flowering depends on light quantity and light quality, and the photoperiod changes according to latitude and altitude. I do not have the reference paper, but these influences exist for soyabean, for example, and you can get it from the web pages. The experimental design should be discussed with an statistician to be sure about the influence of a specific climatic factor on the components of seed production. Best regards. Walter 

Dear Rishad,

Please have a look at these useful links.

http://jpe.oxfordjournals.org/content/3/1/1.full

http://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=ajbs.2009.21.28

Good luck

There will be a significant variation in the species composition as the altitude increases. Also same species will show considerable variation in their habit, leaf texture, leaf size and size of the floral parts. Generally, at high altitude there is a phenomenon called Hypselomorphosis which is much prevalent. The plants at high altitudes often show a stunted growth which is due to the effect of wind (Anemomorphosis). I had been lucky enough to see  and study this type of growth form and their variation ranges in some high altitude peaks in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Hope this will help.

With the change in altitude and latitude there is a change in the sunlight distribution patterns which indirectly affects the viability and germination of the seeds. So plants thriving in areas with low light intensity will survive more in high altitude region and vice versa and hence more widely distributed. 

Rainfall and temperature are the most important factors deciding vegetation. Altitude and latitude are directly connected to temperature and so have direct impact  on vegetation.  

Connected to latitude we call tropical flora, temperate flora, tundras etc.

Connected to altitude we call montane vegetation, alpine vegetation etc.

Altitude, influence vegetation to such an extent that it can create temperate vegetation in tropical regions at  higher altitudes, even close to Equator.  Anamudis and Nilgiris in Western Ghats is example from our region.   Many similar components seen in Himalayas are found  in Nilgiris.  (an example is  Rhododendron arboreum var. nilgiricum, the only Rhododendron  in peninsular India)

On closer observation of high mountains, we can clearly demarcate vegetation types according to altitude variation.  There is such an altitude beyond which trees will not grow (Tree line) and even an altitude beyond which no plants are seen and so.

sunlight, temperature, type of soil, water access, community differences, presence of predator, MO on the surface, wind, are all factor that change according on altitude and latitude. Look the papers written by Focko Weberling on "growth forms", he wrote many publications in many places and discribing different plants.

Karthigeyan sir, can you suggest some papers regarding this phenomena hypselomorphosis and anemomorphosis.

Dear Jagadeesan Sir,

There is a brief introduction about Hypselomorphosis and Anemomorphosis in Flora Malesiana. Only few works are done about  this phenomenon in India. I will try to send you material if i come across any.

With regards to reproductive biology of plants, In my phenology research I found that, elevation has significant influence on both flowering and fruiting. According to variation of elevation gradient, soil moisture stress vary and hence trigger for flowering and survival of fruits may vary. So altitude also affect flora.

Sena

Also, read Grant on variabilitiy ought to altitude.

You will find lot of examples  for variation of species distribution according to elevation if follwing book.

Ecology of Sinharaja Rain Forest and the Forest Dynamics Plot in Sri Lanka's Natural World Heritage Site

WHT Publications, 2004

The impact of altitude is less in tropical areas compared to temperate.

M. Firuza I totally agree. That is sometimes true.

Results from my study in the tropical Rainforest of Southern Nigeria showed significant linear relationship between tree beta diversity and turnover with altitude. But when I categorised the tree species into edible (producing edible fruits or seeds for rural community dwellers) and inedible (seed/fruits are not consumed by rural community dwellers), I only observed the same relationship for the inedible species. The beta diversity values were the same for edible species with increasing altitude (no trend) and species turnover tilted towards negative.

Sijeh Asuk I believe edible and non-edible plant has not much different. More important is type of plant and species. And of course the sunlight play important role.