A long‐term perspective on microclimate and spring plant phenology in the Western Cascades

Ward, Sarah; Schulze, Mark; Roy, Brad A.

doi:10.1002/ecs2.2451

Cited by 26 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Our data show that such climatic differences, and the associated very similar changes in phenology, can also occur on much smaller scales. However, microclimatic patterns can differ substantially from regional climate patterns (Hwang et al, 2011;Ward et al, 2018), and we therefore need to take them into account when projecting effects of climate change on phenology (De Frenne et al, 2013;Franklin et al 2013). Especially in forests, these microclimate dynamics have a stronger impact than macroclimate warming on plant responses to climate change (Zellweger et al 2020).…”

Section: Impact Of Microclimate On Phenologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Spring understory herbs flower later in intensively managed forests

Willems

Ammer

Block

et al. 2021

Ecological Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many organisms respond to anthropogenic environmental change through shifts in their phenology. In plants, flowering is largely driven by temperature, and therefore affected by climate change. However, on smaller scales climatic conditions are also influenced by other factors, including habitat structure. A group of plants with a particularly distinct phenology are the understorey herbs in temperate European forests. In these forests, management alters tree species composition (often replacing deciduous with coniferous species) and homogenizes stand structure, and as a consequence changes light conditions and microclimate. Forest management should thus also affect the phenology of understorey herbs. To test this, we recorded the flowering phenology of 16 early-flowering herbs on 100 forest plots varying in management intensity, from near-natural to intensely managed forests, in Central and Southern Germany. We found that in forest stands with a high management intensity, such as Norway spruce plantations, the plants flowered on average about two weeks later than in unmanaged forests. This was largely because management also affected microclimate (e.g. spring temperatures of 5.9 °C in managed coniferous, 6.7 in managed deciduous and 7.0 °C in unmanaged deciduous plots), which in turn affected phenology, with plants flowering later on colder and moister forest stands (+4.5 days per -1°C and 2.7 days per 10 % humidity increase). Among forest characteristics, the percentage of conifers had the greatest influence on microclimate, but also the age, overall crown projection area, structural complexity and spatial distribution of the forest stands. Our study demonstrates that forest management alters plant phenology, with potential far-reaching consequences for the ecology and evolution of understorey communities. More generally, our study suggests that besides climate change other drivers of environmental change, too, can influence the phenology of organisms.

show abstract

Section: Impact Of Microclimate On Phenologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Spring understory herbs flower later in intensively managed forests

Willems

Ammer

Block

et al. 2021

Ecological Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…We calculated early‐ and late‐season GDD at each plot based on when snow melted at that location, defining GDDearly as the daily temperature sum above 0°C during the first 25 d post‐SDD, and GDDlate as a parallel metric for days 25–50 post‐SDD. The use of a rolling window after snowmelt for calculating degree days rather than fixed calendar period/s is common in studies of high‐altitude meadows (e.g., Sedlacek et al 2015, Semenchuk et al 2016), because air temperature can only exert an influence on herbaceous plant reproduction after the insulation of snow has melted (Ward et al 2018). This does mean that SDD and GDD are related, because early snowmelt is associated with cooler early‐season temperatures and late snowmelt with cooler late‐season temperatures (Appendix : Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early snowmelt and warmer, drier summers shrink postflowering transition times in subalpine wildflowers

Sethi

Theobald

Breckheimer

et al. 2020

Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Plant reproductive phenology-the timing of reproduction-is shifting rapidly with global climate change. Many studies focus on flowering responses to climate, but few investigate how postflowering processes, such as how quickly plants develop from flowering to seed dispersal, respond to environmental factors. We examined the climatic drivers of postflowering phenology in 28 species of western North American subalpine meadow plants over large spatial and temporal climate gradients. We took a Bayesian hierarchical approach to address whether and how climate influences the time it takes for wildflower populations to transition from flower to seed. Our previous work on the same species demonstrated that the initiation of flowering depends on snowmelt timing, with warmer temperatures and soil moisture also playing a role. Here, we found that for the majority of the flowering community, the same climate drivers also affected the time it takes to move from flowering to seed dispersal. Climate-sensitive species shortened flower-seed transitions when snow melted earlier, temperatures were warmer, and/or soil dried down more quickly-conditions we expect with higher frequency under climate change. Our work underscores the fact that predicting the impact of climate change on plant reproductive phenology demands empirical data on phases beyond flowering. Additionally, it suggests that some species face a future in which multiple environmental factors will push them towards more rapid transitions from flowering to postflowering phases, with potential effects on plants themselves and the many animal associates that rely on them, including frugivores and seed predators.

show abstract

“…Factors such as microclimate (Ward 2018) and elevation (Ziello 2009) can greatly influence local plant phenology. As such, it is essential to understand the environmental conditions where data sampling occurs, in order to decouple these effects from larger climate trends.…”

Section: Invasive Species As a Driver Of Ecological Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Collecting Plant Phenology Data In Imperiled Oregon White Oak Ecosystems: Analysis and Recommendations for Metro

Wright¹

2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Highly imperiled Oregon white oak ecosystems are a regional conservation priority of numerous organizations, including Oregon Metro, a regional government serving over one million people in the Portland area. Previously dominant systems in the Pacific Northwest, upland prairie and oak woodlands are now experiencing significant threat, with only 2% remaining in the Willamette Valley in small fragments (Hulse et al. 2002). These fragments are of high conservation value because of the rich biodiversity they support, including rare and endemic species, such as Delphinium leucophaeum (Oregon Department of Agriculture, 2020). Since 2010, Metro scientists and volunteers have collected phenology data on approximately 140 species of forbs and graminoids in regional oak prairie and woodlands. Phenology is the study of life-stage events in plants and animals, such as budbreak and senescence in flowering plants, and widely acknowledged as a sensitive indicator of environmental change (Parmesan 2007). Indeed, shifts in plant phenology have been observed over the last few decades as a result of climate change (Parmesan 2006). In oak systems, these changes have profound implications for plant community composition and diversity, as well as trophic interactions and general ecosystem function (Willis 2008). While the original intent of Metro’s phenology data-collection was to track long-term phenology trends, limitations in data collection methods have made such analysis difficult. Rather, these data are currently used to inform seasonal management decisions on Metro properties, such as when to collect seed for propagation and when to spray herbicide to control invasive species. Metro is now interested in fine-tuning their data-collection methods to better capture long-term phenology trends to guide future conservation strategies. Addressing the regional and global conservation issues of our time will require unprecedented collaboration. Phenology data collected on Metro properties is not only an important asset for Metro’s conservation plan, but holds potential to support broader research on a larger scale. As a leader in urban conservation, Metro is poised to make a meaningful scientific contribution by sharing phenology data with regional and national organizations. Data-sharing will benefit the common goal of conservation and create avenues for collaboration with other scientists and conservation practitioners (Rosemartin 2013). In order to support Metro’s ongoing conservation efforts in Oregon white oak systems, I have implemented a three-part master’s project. Part one of the project examines Metro’s previously collected phenology data, providing descriptive statistics and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the methods by which the data were collected. Part two makes recommendations for improving future phenology data-collection methods, and includes recommendations for datasharing with regional and national organizations. Part three is a collection of scientific vouchers documenting key plant species in varying phases of phenology for Metro’s teaching herbarium. The purpose of these vouchers is to provide a visual tool for Metro staff and volunteers who rely on plant identification to carry out aspects of their job in plant conservation. Each component of this project addresses specific aspects of Metro’s conservation program, from day-to-day management concerns to long-term scientific inquiry.

show abstract

A long‐term perspective on microclimate and spring plant phenology in the Western Cascades

Cited by 26 publications

References 64 publications

Spring understory herbs flower later in intensively managed forests

Spring understory herbs flower later in intensively managed forests

Early snowmelt and warmer, drier summers shrink postflowering transition times in subalpine wildflowers

Collecting Plant Phenology Data In Imperiled Oregon White Oak Ecosystems: Analysis and Recommendations for Metro

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About