北京地区木本春季物候特征与生物学特性的关系

植物物候是植物生活史中的重要性状,也是指示气候与自然环境变化的重要指标,现已成为全球变化领域的研究热点之一。传统物候研究多假设物候由气候因素决定,如气温、降水、光照等,并主要从植物物候的年际变化角度探讨了气候因素对物候特征的影响。然而,不同物种的物候存在较大差异表明植物物候还与自身生物学特性（如系统发育和功能性状）有关,但植物生物学特性如何影响植物物候仍缺乏深入研究。基于北京地区44种木本植物1965-2018年的展叶始期和开花始期观测资料,以展叶始期和开花始期的3类物候特征（平均物候期、物候对温度的响应敏感度和物候期的积温需求）为例,探究植物物候特征与系统发育和功能性状的关系。首先,利用系统发育信号Blomberg’s K和进化模型检验植物物候特征是否具有系统发育保守性,并通过系统发育信号表征曲线直观表达植物物候特征的进化模式;之后,利用广义估计方程分析植物生活型、传粉型与物候特征的关系,以揭示不同植物的资源利用方式及生存策略的差异。研究发现：（1）除展叶始期的温度敏感度外,其余物候特征的进化均受随机遗传漂变和自然选择力的共同作用,可推断物候特征具有系统发育保守性,即亲缘关系越近的物种物候特征越相似。（2）开花始期的系统发育信号强度比展叶始期更大,表明繁殖物候的系统发育可能比生长物候更保守。（3）植物展叶始期及其积温需求与生活型密切相关。灌木比乔木的展叶时间早、积温需求少。植物开花始期与传粉型相关,风媒植物开花显著早于虫媒植物。研究成果有助于深入理解物候变化的生物学机制,对于丰富物候学的理论研究有重要意义,同时对植物保护也具有重要的指导价值。     

近50年中国典型木本植物展叶始期温度敏感度变化及原因

展叶始期的温度敏感度是指气温每变化1℃,物候期变化的天数。展叶始期对温度响应更敏感的植物能够在生长季初期占据更多的资源从而在种间竞争中占据优势,因此研究展叶始期的温度敏感度变化有助于评估植物对气候变化的适应能力。选择1963-2014年10个站点163种植物的展叶始期资料,利用滑动分析法计算了每15a各植物的展叶始期温度敏感度。在此基础上,分析了温度敏感度的变化趋势及空间格局,并讨论了导致展叶始期温度敏感度变化的可能原因。主要结论为：在全部313条展叶始期时间序列中,60.1%的序列温度敏感度呈升高趋势,其中显著升高的占40.0%（P < 0.05）;39.9%的序列温度敏感度降低,其中显著降低的占28.4%。在空间分布上,温带地区的6个站点展叶始期温度敏感度平均呈升高趋势。其中,北京地区植物展叶始期温度敏感度升高最为普遍,显著升高的物种比例达到75.0%（P < 0.05）。而亚热带站点（除合肥外）的展叶始期温度敏感度主要呈降低趋势。其中,长沙植物展叶始期温度敏感度显著降低的物种比例最高,达68.4%。冬季冷激量和春季气温变率是影响植物展叶始期温度敏感度随时间变化的主要因素。冬季冷激量降低将导致植物展叶始期温度敏感度降低,而春季气温变率降低将导致植物展叶始期温度敏感度升高。     

欧洲典型树种展叶始期的时空变化及其对气候变化的响应

近年来,全球变暖对植物春季物候期产生了显著影响。很多研究报道了中国地区木本植物春季物候期变化的时空格局,但在同处于北半球温带地区的欧洲则相关研究较少。为了增进物候变化及其对气候变化响应规律的区域对比,本研究利用欧洲地区展叶始期(1980—2014年)数据和相应的气象数据,研究欧洲七叶树、垂枝桦、欧洲山毛榉和夏栎4种典型木本植物展叶始期的时空变化格局,并识别影响物候变化的主要气候因子。结果表明: 1980—2014年,研究区4种植物的展叶始期以3.3～7.5 d·10 a^-1的趋势显著提前。展叶始期自南向北以每纬度2.03～3.19 d的速率推迟,自西向东以每经度0.19～0.80 d的速率推迟(除欧洲山毛榉外),海拔自低到高以2.25～3.44 d·100 m^-1的速率推迟。展叶始期的提前主要与春季温度的增高和冬春季降水量的增加有关,而秋冬季温度的升高对展叶始期有一定的推迟效应。     

1962—2007年北京地区木本植物秋季物候动态

根据中国物候观测网络北京观测站点的物候资料及气候资料,分析了1962—2007年北京地区20种主要木本植物秋季物候对气候变化的响应情况.结果表明：1962—2007年间,北京地区秋季物候开始日期基本保持不变,但结束日期有所推迟,推迟的幅度为3.2 d·10 a^-1,导致该区秋季延长了约14 d;研究期间,北京地区木本植物秋季叶始变色期均表现为推迟趋势,平均推迟幅度为4.9 d·10 a^-1;平均最低气温是影响北京地区木本植物叶始变色期早晚的主要气候因子.气候增暖可能是导致近40年北京地区木本植物秋季物候期推迟的主要原因.     

暖温带乔木和灌木物候变化及对气候变化的响应

根据2003-2014年气象数据和暖温带3种乔木(辽东栎、五角枫和核桃楸)和3种灌木(土庄绣线菊、毛叶丁香和六道木)的物候观测数据资料, 采用气候倾向率和回归分析等方法, 观察乔木和灌木物候变化特征的差异, 分析温度、降水以及乔木、灌木的物候变化趋势, 同时对气象因子与乔木和灌木物候期的相关关系进行研究。结果表明: ①研究期间, 北京东灵山平均气温呈不显著的上升趋势, 气候倾向率为0.200℃·10a–1, 春季(3–5月)和夏季(6-8月)温度显著上升; 降水量呈下降趋势, 平均减少71.630 mm·10a–1, 总体呈暖、干的趋势。②3种乔木的生长季长度都缩短, 辽东栎、五角枫和核桃楸平均生长季长度分别缩短50.70 d·10 a–1、29.83 d·10a–1和22.36 d·10a–1。3种灌木的生长季长度也都缩短, 土庄绣线菊、毛叶丁香和六道木的平均生长季长度分别缩短42.55 d·10a–1、42.76 d·10a–1和38.15 d·10a–1。乔木和灌木的物候变化趋势相同, 整体表现为春季物候推迟, 秋季物候提前, 生长季长度都缩短且生长季长度相差不大。乔木和灌木都表现出芽期推迟最明显, 每10年推迟达19天以上。③乔木和灌木各物候期与气温总体表现为负相关, 即气温升高, 物候期提前, 其相关性显示出夏季(6-8月)温度对植被物候期影响较大, 夏季温度与各物候期表现为正相关, 即夏季温度升高, 物候期推迟。同时乔木和灌木与总体降水没有明显的相关关系, 但秋季物候与不同时段降水表现不同的相关性, 由此可知夏季温度变化对木本植物春季物候(出芽期、展叶期和首花期)的影响更大, 而秋季物候(叶变色期和落叶期)受温度和降水共同影响。     

利用控制实验研究植物物候对气候变化的响应综述

物候是植物在长期适应环境过程中形成的生长发育节点。长时间地面物候观测数据表明,近50年全球乔木、灌木、草本植物的春季物候期受温度升高、降水与辐射变化等影响,以每10年2 d到10 d的速率提前。但因植物物候响应气候因子的机制仍不清楚,导致对未来气候变化情景下的植物物候变化预测存在较大的不确定性。在此背景下,控制实验成为探究气候因子对植物物候影响机制的重要手段。综述了物候控制实验中不同气候因子（温度、水分、光照等）的控制方法。总结了目前为止控制实验在植物物候对气候因子响应方面得到的重要结论,发现植物春季物候期（展叶、开花等）主要受冷激、驱动温度与光周期的影响,秋季物候期（叶变色和落叶）主要受低温、短日照与水分胁迫的影响。提出未来物候控制实验应重点解决木本植物在秋季进入休眠的时间点确定、低温和短日照对木本植物秋季物候的交互作用量化、草本植物春秋季物候的影响因子识别等科学问题。     

河北省草本植物物候特征及其对气候变暖的响应

以1981—2006年河北省8个国家农业气象观测站的草本植物物候观测资料和47个气象站的地面观测资料为基础,运用EOF和REOF等统计学方法,研究了河北省草本植物物候期的变化特征及其对气候变暖的响应。结果表明:河北省草本植物展叶始期总体呈提前趋势,其中东部沿海平原提前趋势最大,中南部平原次之,西北部山区最小;黄枯始期主要表现出推迟趋势,生长季长度以延长趋势为主;春季气温对展叶始期的影响显著,河北省春季气温上升1℃,草本植物展叶始期提前4.1d;各站点生长季倾向率与年均温倾向率呈正相关,即年均温升幅大的站点,生长季延长的幅度也较大;草本植物物候变化特征及其对气候变暖的响应与木本植物基本一致,研究结果对丰富河北省物候与气候变化关系研究具有一定意义。     

31种木本植物开花物候与系统发育的关系

植物物候通常被认为是由环境因素,如降水、温度和日照长度所决定,然而环境因素是否是物候唯一的决定因素仍然存在很大争议。谱系结构表征了植物在进化上的顺序,该发育时序是否对物候产生影响,当前仍然未知。在调查2016年春季新疆乌鲁木齐市最常见的31种木本植物的初始开花时间、败花时间和开花持续时间的基础上,通过分析植物开花物候的分布特征、开花物候在乔灌木间的差别、以及植物谱系距离与开花物候距离间的关系,试图揭示植物的开花物候和物种谱系(进化)顺序间的关系。结果表明:(1)新疆乌鲁木齐市31种木本植物的初始开花时间为4月18日±9d、败花时间为5月5日±12d、开花持续时间为(16±8)d;(2)乔木的初始开花时间和败花时间的标准差分别均低于灌木,乔木开花物候相对灌木更稳定;(3)乔木的初始开花和败花时间均显著早于灌木(P0.05),但开花持续时间在两者间未有显著性差异(P0.05);(3)31种木本植物间的初始开花时间距离、败花时间距离和开花持续时间距离均与物种谱系距离存在显著线性回归关系(P0.05)。综上可知:乔灌木在垂直空间上的分化使得木本植物的开花物候在植物生活型间存在不同。对植物的开花物候,除已被证明的降水、温度和日照长度等环境因素的影响外,物种进化顺序也可能造成了它在植物种间、时间和空间上的变异。     

植物物候对重庆主城区热岛效应的响应

为探究植物物候对山地城市内部热岛效应的响应特征,于2016年1月—2017年1月对重庆市主城区80种木本植物进行地面物候观测,同时利用Landsat 8热红外数据反演研究区地表温度,结合同时期地面实测气温,对研究区热岛强度等级进行划分,进而比较城市内部不同热岛强度等级下植物物候变化特征。结果表明,热岛过渡区与热岛区植物展叶期较凉岛区分别提前了5.1 d和8.1 d,初花期分别提前了4.0 d和20.8 d,终花期分别提前了4.8 d和11.6 d,而落叶期分别推迟了8.5 d和18.9 d,即城市内部热岛増温使植物春季物候提前,秋季物候推迟,生长季延长,且物候变化幅度随热岛强度等级增大而增大。不同功能型植物物候对热岛増温的响应存在差异,灌木、常绿植物和引种植物物候比乔木、落叶植物和本土植物更加敏感。本研究在一定程度上填补了我国西南山区物候研究的空缺,可为预测城市植物物候对未来山地城市小气候变化乃至全球气候变暖趋势的响应提供早期预警。     

气候波动对西安39种木本植物展叶始期及其积温需求的影响

过去几十年来暖春等异常气候事件发生的频次和强度显著增加, 使植物春季物候期发生了明显变化。但异常气候事件对植物春季物候积温需求的影响仍不清楚, 限制了对未来物候变化预测精度的提升。该研究利用西安植物园1963-2018年39种木本植物的展叶始期和相应气象数据, 首先根据3-4月平均气温划分了偏冷年、正常年和偏暖年, 对比了冷暖年相对于正常年的展叶始期变化。其次, 利用3种积温算法计算了各植物逐年的展叶始期积温需求, 比较了积温需求在冷暖年和正常年的差异。最后, 评估了传统积温模型在模拟偏冷或偏暖年展叶始期时的误差。结果表明, 所有植物的展叶始期在偏暖年比正常年平均早8.6天, 而在偏冷年平均晚8.2天。在偏暖年, 大多数物种展叶始期的积温需求(以5 ℃为阈值, 平均257.5度日)显著高于正常年(平均195.1度日); 在偏冷年的积温需求(平均168.0度日)低于正常年, 但在统计上差异不显著。就不同类群而言, 古老类群相对于年轻类群在偏冷年的推迟天数更多, 积温需求变化较小, 但在偏暖年无显著差异。不同生活型间物候与积温需求变化也无显著差异。造成偏暖年积温需求增加的可能原因是偏暖年冬季气温较高, 导致植物受到的冷激程度减轻, 从而抑制了后续的展叶。在正常年, 积温模型模拟木本植物展叶始期的平均误差仅为0.4-1.9天。在偏暖年和偏冷年, 模拟值分别比观测值平均早4.1天和晚3.0天。因此在预测未来物候变化时, 需要考虑气候波动条件下的积温需求变化。     

Phenological response to climate change in China: a meta‐analysis

The change in the phenology of plants or animals reflects the response of living systems to climate change. Numerous studies have reported a consistent earlier spring phenophases in many parts of middle and high latitudes reflecting increasing temperatures with the exception of China. A systematic analysis of Chinese phenological response could complement the assessment of climate change impact for the whole Northern Hemisphere. Here, we analyze 1263 phenological time series (1960–2011, with 20+ years data) of 112 species extracted from 48 studies across 145 sites in China. Taxonomic groups include trees, shrubs, herbs, birds, amphibians and insects. Results demonstrate that 90.8% of the spring/summer phenophases time series show earlier trends and 69.0% of the autumn phenophases records show later trends. For spring/summer phenophases, the mean advance across all the taxonomic groups was 2.75 days decade^?1 ranging between 2.11 and 6.11 days decade^?1 for insects and amphibians, respectively. Herbs and amphibians show significantly stronger advancement than trees, shrubs and insect. The response of phenophases of different taxonomic groups in autumn is more complex: trees, shrubs, herbs and insects show a delay between 1.93 and 4.84 days decade^?1, while other groups reveal an advancement ranging from 1.10 to 2.11 days decade^?1. For woody plants (including trees and shrubs), the stronger shifts toward earlier spring/summer were detected from the data series starting from more recent decades (1980s–2000s). The geographic factors (latitude, longitude and altitude) could only explain 9% and 3% of the overall variance in spring/summer and autumn phenological trends, respectively. The rate of change in spring/summer phenophase of woody plants (1960s–2000s) generally matches measured local warming across 49 sites in China (R = ?0.33, P < 0.05).     

Shortened temperature‐relevant period of spring leaf‐out in temperate‐zone trees

Temperature during a particular period prior to spring leaf‐out, the temperature‐relevant period (TRP), is a strong determinant of the leaf‐out date in temperate‐zone trees. Climatic warming has substantially advanced leaf‐out dates in temperate biomes worldwide, but its effect on the beginning and length of the TRP has not yet been explored, despite its direct relevance for phenology modeling. Using 1,551 species–site combinations of long‐term (1951–2016) in situ observations on six tree species (namely, Aesculus hippocastanum, Alnus glutinosa, Betula pendula, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, and Quercus robur) in central Europe, we found that the advancing leaf‐out was accompanied by a shortening of the TRP. On average across all species and sites, the length of the TRP significantly decreased by 23% (p < .05), from 60 ± 4 days during 1951–1965 to 47 ± 4 days during 2002–2016. Importantly, the average start date of the TRP did not vary significantly over the study period (March 2–5, DOY = 61–64), which could be explained by sufficient chilling over the study period in the regions considered. The advanced leaf‐out date with unchanged beginning of the TRP can be explained by the faster accumulation of the required heat due to climatic warming, which overcompensated for the retarding effect of shortening daylength on bud development. This study shows that climate warming has not yet affected the mean TRP starting date in the study region, implying that phenology modules in global land surface models might be reliable assuming a fixed TRP starting date at least for the temperate central Europe. Field warming experiments do, however, remain necessary to test to what extent the length of TRP will continue to shorten and whether the starting date will remain stable under future climate conditions.     

Changes in temperature sensitivity of spring phenology with recent climate warming in Switzerland are related to shifts of the preseason

The spring phenology of plants in temperate regions strongly responds to spring temperatures. Climate warming has caused substantial phenological advances in the past, but trends to be expected in the future are uncertain. A simple indicator is temperature sensitivity, the phenological advance statistically associated with a 1°C warmer mean temperature during the “preseason”, defined as the most temperature‐sensitive period preceding the phenological event. Recent analyses of phenological records have shown a decline in temperature sensitivity of leaf unfolding, but underlying mechanisms were not clear. Here, we propose that climate warming can reduce temperature sensitivity simply by reducing the length of the preseason due to faster bud development during this time period, unless the entire preseason shifts forward so that its temperature does not change. We derive these predictions theoretically from the widely used “thermal time model” for bud development and test them using data for 19 phenological events recorded in 1970–2012 at 108 stations spanning a 1600 m altitudinal range in Switzerland. We consider how temperature sensitivity, preseason start, preseason length and preseason temperature change (i) with altitude, (ii) between the periods 1970–1987 and 1995–2012, which differed mainly in spring temperatures, and (iii) between two non‐consecutive sets of 18 years that differed mainly in winter temperatures. On average, temperature sensitivity increased with altitude (colder climate) and was reduced in years with warmer springs, but not in years with warmer winters. These trends also varied among species. Decreasing temperature sensitivity in warmer springs was associated with a limited forward shift of preseason start, higher temperatures during the preseason and reduced preseason length, but not with reduced winter chilling. Our results imply that declining temperature sensitivity can result directly from spring warming and does not necessarily indicate altered physiological responses or stronger constraints such as reduced winter chilling.     

气候变化下西南地区植物功能型地理分布响应

以中国西南地区(云南、贵州、四川和重庆)为研究区,基于中国植被图划分植物功能型,筛选影响各植物功能型分布的主导环境因子,进而通过最大熵模型结合未来气候情景(2050年)预测西南地区植物功能型地理分布。结果表明:(1)根据植物冠层特征(针叶/阔叶、常绿/落叶)及对水分和温度的需求,结合研究区实际植被数据,筛选得到15类植物功能型,包含6类乔木、6类灌木和3类草本功能型;(2)影响西南地区热带乔木分布的主导因子为最冷月最低温度和年降水量(贡献率达90.3%),亚热带植物功能型分布主要受到温度变化影响(贡献率达41.7%),温带植物功能型则受降水因子的影响最大(贡献率约40.1%),高寒草甸草和高寒常绿阔叶灌木主要受温度和海拔因子影响,高寒落叶阔叶灌木受降水因子影响大;(3)随CO_2排放量增加,未来西南各植物功能型分布呈现不同变化,其中,热带常绿阔叶乔木适宜区逐渐扩大;亚热带落叶木本类植物功能型的高适宜区面积2050年(RCP8.5)增至10.3%,呈东移趋势;亚热带常绿木本和草本类植物功能型适宜区广(占研究区总面积86.5%),未来气候下分布呈不规则波动;温带植物功能型(除温带灌木类外)适宜区面积减小至2050年(RCP8.5)的13.6%;温带常绿针叶灌木适宜区面积增大,2050年(RCP2.6)高适宜区向西移动且面积增至当前的8.25倍;高寒类植物功能型适宜区面积则呈缩小趋势,高适宜区东移。     

Simulating phenological shifts in French temperate forests under two climatic change scenarios and four driving global circulation models

After modeling the large-scale climate response patterns of leaf unfolding, leaf coloring and growing season length of evergreen and deciduous French temperate trees, we predicted the effects of eight future climate scenarios on phenological events. We used the ground observations from 103 temperate forests (10 species and 3,708 trees) from the French Renecofor Network and for the period 1997–2006. We applied RandomForest algorithms to predict phenological events from climatic and ecological variables. With the resulting models, we drew maps of phenological events throughout France under present climate and under two climatic change scenarios (A2, B2) and four global circulation models (HadCM3, CGCM2, CSIRO2 and PCM). We compared current observations and predicted values for the periods 2041–2070 and 2071–2100. On average, spring development of oaks precedes that of beech, which precedes that of conifers. Annual cycles in budburst and leaf coloring are highly correlated with January, March–April and October–November weather conditions through temperature, global solar radiation or potential evapotranspiration depending on species. At the end of the twenty-first century, each model predicts earlier budburst (mean: 7 days) and later leaf coloring (mean: 13 days) leading to an average increase in the growing season of about 20 days (for oaks and beech stands). The A2-HadCM3 hypothesis leads to an increase of up to 30 days in many areas. As a consequence of higher predicted warming during autumn than during winter or spring, shifts in leaf coloring dates appear greater than trends in leaf unfolding. At a regional scale, highly differing climatic response patterns were observed.     

Beyond gradual warming: extreme weather events alter flower phenology of European grassland and heath species

Shifts in the phenology of plant and animal species or in the migratory arrival of birds are seen as ‘fingerprints’ of global warming. However, even if such responses have been documented in large continent‐wide datasets of the northern hemisphere, all studies to date correlate the phenological pattern of various taxa with gradual climatic trends. Here, we report a previously unobserved phenomenon: severe drought and heavy rain events caused phenological shifts in plants of the same magnitude as one decade of gradual warming. We present data from two vegetation periods in an experimental setting containing the first evidence of shifted phenological response of 10 grassland and heath species to simulated 100‐year extreme weather events in Central Europe. Averaged over all species, 32 days of drought significantly advanced the mid‐flowering date by 4 days. The flowering length was significantly extended by 4 days. Heavy rainfall (170 mm over 14 days) had no significant effect on the mid‐flowering date. However, heavy rainfall reduced the flowering length by several days. Observed shifts were species‐specific, (e.g. drought advanced the mid‐flowering date for Holcus lanatus by 1.5 days and delayed the mid‐flowering date for Calluna vulgaris by 5.7 days, heavy rain advanced mid‐flowering date of Lotus corniculatus by 26.6 days and shortened the flowering length of the same species by 36.9 days). Interestingly, the phenological response of individual species was modified by community composition. For example, the mid‐flowering date of C. vulgaris was delayed after drought by 9.3 days in communities composed of grasses and dwarf shrubs compared with communities composed of dwarf shrubs only. This indicates that responses to extreme events are context specific. Additionally, the phenological response of experimental communities to extreme weather events can be modified by the functional diversity of a stand. Future studies on phenological response patterns related to climate change would profit from explicitly addressing the role of extreme weather events.     

西安和宝鸡木本植物花期物候变化及温度敏感度对比

植物物候是指示生态系统对气候变化响应的重要证据。已有研究多基于代表性站点的物候观测数据研究物候特征及其对气候变化的响应规律。同一气候区内,不同站点的物候变化及对温度变化响应的敏感度是否一致仍需深入探讨。本文选择同属于暖温带湿润区汾渭平原气候区的西安和宝鸡为研究区,利用"中国物候观测网"在两个站点21个共有物种的开花始期和开花末期数据,比较了1987—2016年两站点各植物花期物候变化特征及其对温度变化响应的敏感度差异。结果表明,西安和宝鸡各物种的开花始期和开花末期均以提前趋势为主。大部分物种开花始期在西安的提前趋势(平均趋势-0.57 d/a)明显强于在宝鸡的提前趋势(平均趋势-0.29 d/a),但开花末期趋势差异不显著。除紫薇和迎春的敏感度差异较大外,其他物种开花始期和开花末期的温度敏感度在两站点间非常接近,无显著差异。由此可见,在同一气候区的不同站点,因增温幅度不同,植物的始花期变化存在较大差异,不能用单站点的物候变化反映整个气候区的物候变化。但同一植物在单站点的温度敏感度可以较好的反映同一气候区其他站点的植物物候-气候关系。本文研究结果可为利用有限站点的物候观测数据分析区域物候变化及对气候变化的响应提供科学依据。     

Phenological responses of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ulmus pumila</Emphasis> (Siberian Elm) to climate change in the temperate zone of China

Using Ulmus pumila (Siberian Elm) leaf unfolding and leaf fall phenological data from 46 stations in the temperate zone of China for the period 1986–2005, we detected linear trends in both start and end dates and length of the growing season. Moreover, we defined the optimum length period during which daily mean temperature affects the growing season start and end dates most markedly at each station in order to more precisely and rationally identify responses of the growing season to temperature. On average, the growing season start date advanced significantly at a rate of −4.0 days per decade, whereas the growing season end date was delayed significantly at a rate of 2.2 days per decade and the growing season length was prolonged significantly at a rate of 6.5 days per decade across the temperate zone of China. Thus, the growing season extension was induced mainly by the advancement of the start date. At individual stations, linear trends of the start date correlate negatively with linear trends of spring temperature during the optimum length period, namely, the quicker the spring temperature increased at a station, the quicker the start date advanced. With respect to growing season response to interannual temperature variation, a 1°C increase in spring temperature during the optimum length period may induce an advancement of 2.8 days in the start date of the growing season, whereas a 1°C increase in autumn temperature during the optimum length period may cause a delay of 2.1 days in the end date of the growing season, and a 1°C increase in annual mean temperature may result in a lengthening of the growing season of 9 days across the temperate zone of China. Therefore, the response of the start date to temperature is more sensitive than the response of the end date. At individual stations, the sensitivity of growing season response to temperature depends obviously on local thermal conditions, namely, either the negative response of the start date or the positive response of the end date and growing season length to temperature was stronger at warmer locations than at colder locations. Thus, future regional climate warming may enhance the sensitivity of plant phenological response to temperature, especially in colder regions.