Bayesian analysis of climate change impacts in phenology

The identification of changes in observational data relating to the climate change hypothesis remains a topic of paramount importance. In particular, scientifically sound and rigorous methods for detecting changes are urgently needed. In this paper, we develop a Bayesian approach to nonparametric function estimation. The method is applied to blossom time series of Prunus avium L., Galanthus nivalis L. and Tilia platyphyllos SCOP. The functional behavior of these series is represented by three different models: the constant model, the linear model and the one change point model. The one change point model turns out to be the preferred one in all three data sets with considerable discrimination of the other alternatives. In addition to the functional behavior, rates of change in terms of days per year were also calculated. We obtain also uncertainty margins for both function estimates and rates of change. Our results provide a quantitative representation of what was previously inferred from the same data by less involved methods.     

Flowering phenology change and climate warming in southwestern Ohio

Global surface temperature has increased markedly over the last 100 years. This increase has a variety of implications for human societies, and for ecological systems. One of the most obvious ways ecosystems are affected by global climate change is through alteration of organisms’ developmental timing (phenology). We used annual botanical surveys that documented the first flowering for an array of species from 1976 to 2003 to examine the potential implications of climate change for plant development. The overall trend for these species was a progressively earlier flowering time. The two earliest flowering taxa (Galanthus and Crocus) also exhibited the strongest shift in first flowering. We detected a significant trend in climate suggesting higher temperatures in winter and spring over the sampling interval and found a significant relationship between warming temperatures and first flowering time for some species. Although 60% of the species in our study flowered earlier over the sampling interval, the remaining species exhibited no statistically detectable change. This variation in response is ostensibly associated with among-species variation in the role of climate cues in plant development. Future work is needed to isolate specific climate cues, and to link plant phenology to the physiological processes that trigger plant development.     

郑州植物物候对气候变化的响应

利用统计和突变分析方法,对郑州气候（1956～2003年）和4种乔木物候（1986～2003年）的趋势变化特征进行了分析,并探讨了植物物候期与平均温度、日照的相关性以及对温度变化的响应趋势。分析发现：（1）郑州近50a来在冬、春季升温现象明显;日照在夏季下降最为显著,冬季其次,但在2～4月份历年呈弱上升趋势。（2）物候期变化趋势表现在展叶、开花、果熟期（除楝树外）呈提前趋势,落叶期略有推迟,绿叶期延长,特别是在20世纪90年代中后期,春季物候期（除垂柳外）提前10d左右。（3）平均温度是影响物候期最为显著的气候因子,温度每升高1℃,春季物候平均提前6d左右,绿叶期延长9．5～18．6d;物候期突变一般发生在温度突变之后。以上分析说明植物物候对气候变化响应比较敏感,通过分析和掌握气候和物候变化规律,了解其对当地植物物候的可能影响,可为农业生产、生态环境监测和评估等提供一些理论依据。     

气候变化对桂林植物物候的影响

利用线性倾向估计、Mann-Kendall突变检测等方法,对桂林气候(1951～2009年)和3种植物物候(1983～2009年)的趋势变化特征进行了分析,并探讨了物候期与气温、日照、降水等气象因子的相关性及其对主要气候影响因子的响应情况。结果表明:在当地气候变化背景下,桂林市植物物候期发生了不同程度的变化,春季物候期提前,秋季物候期推迟,绿叶期延长;平均气温是影响植物物候期最为显著的气象因子,气温每增高1℃,春季物候平均提前5d左右,秋季物候平均推迟8d左右,绿叶期延长约27d;春季物候和绿叶期的突变一般发生在气温突变之后,但秋季物候期突变与其影响月份气温的突变并无关系。以上分析说明植物物候对气候变化响应比较敏感,通过分析气候和植物物候变化的规律,掌握气候对当地植物物候的可能影响,可为农业生产、生态环境监测和评估等提供理论依据。     

内蒙古主要草原类型植物物候对气候波动的响应

物候是气候变化的指示者,由于不同地区植被类型不同,导致其对气候波动的响应方式不同。利用2004—2013年内蒙古草原区生态监测站群落优势种物候观测资料和同时段的气象资料,分析了不同草原类型区优势种物候期变化及其与气候因子间的相互关系,结果表明:(1)2004—2013年内蒙古草原区各时段气候波动趋势均不显著,返青前以气温降低、降水增加趋势为主;黄枯前草甸草原、典型草原以气温降低、降水增加趋势为主,荒漠草原变化趋势相反。(2)2004—2013年典型草原植物返青期平均提前4.01 d,黄枯推后10.35 d,生长季延长14.36 d;草甸草原返青期提前2.04 d,黄枯期推后12.68 d,生长季延长14.72 d;荒漠草原物候变化趋势最小,返青期平均提前了1.32 d,黄枯期平均推后了9.58 d,生长季延长了10.90 d。(3)内蒙古草原区植物返青期主要受气温波动的影响,草甸草原返青期与前3个月平均气温的负相关最为显著,气温每升高1℃,返青期约提前1.123 d;典型草原、荒漠草原返青期与前2个月平均气温的负相关最为显著气,气温每升高1℃,返青期约提前1.137 d和1.743 d。(4)典型草原区植物黄枯期受前1—2月平均气温和累积降水的共同影响,与夏季平均气温和当月降水量的相关最为显著,夏季气温每升高1℃,黄枯期约提前2.250 d,当月降水每增加1 mm,黄枯期约推后0.119 d。草甸草原、荒漠草原植物黄枯期与各时段降水、气温的相关均不显著,影响黄枯机制比较复杂。     

Delayed autumn phenology in the Northern Hemisphere is related to change in both climate and spring phenology

The timing of the end of the vegetation growing season (EOS) plays a key role in terrestrial ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycles. Autumn phenology is, however, still poorly understood, and previous studies generally focused on few species or were very limited in scale. In this study, we applied four methods to extract EOS dates from NDVI records between 1982 and 2011 for the Northern Hemisphere, and determined the temporal correlations between EOS and environmental factors (i.e., temperature, precipitation and insolation), as well as the correlation between spring and autumn phenology, using partial correlation analyses. Overall, we observed a trend toward later EOS in ~70% of the pixels in Northern Hemisphere, with a mean rate of 0.18 ± 0.38 days yr^?1. Warming preseason temperature was positively associated with the rate of EOS in most of our study area, except for arid/semi‐arid regions, where the precipitation sum played a dominant positive role. Interestingly, increased preseason insolation sum might also lead to a later date of EOS. In addition to the climatic effects on EOS, we found an influence of spring vegetation green‐up dates on EOS, albeit biome dependent. Our study, therefore, suggests that both environmental factors and spring phenology should be included in the modeling of EOS to improve the predictions of autumn phenology as well as our understanding of the global carbon and nutrient balances.     

东北地区植被物候对气候变化的响应

使用1982—2003年GIMMS-NDVI数据和气候数据,借助GIS空间分析和统计分析方法,分析了东北地区不同植被物候期与气候变化的关系。结果表明:22年东北地区年均温度以升高趋势为主,年降水量以减少趋势为主;针叶林、针阔叶混交林、阔叶林、草甸和沼泽植被生长季开始日期提前受春季温度升高影响显著(P<0.05)。春季降水对植被生长季开始日期变化影响较小,仅对针叶林生长季开始日期的推迟有显著的影响(P<0.05)。植被生长季结束日期受温度变化影响较小,仅草原植被生长季结束日期提前受秋季温度降低影响显著(P<0.05)。降水对东北地区植被生长季结束日期的变化影响高于温度。随着秋季降水量的减少,针阔叶混交林、草原和农田植被生长季结束日提前(P<0.05)。草丛生长季结束日期提前受夏季降水减少的影响显著(P<0.05);农田生长季结束日期提前亦受夏季和9月降水量减少的显著影响(P<0.05)。阔叶林和沼泽植被生长季延长受春季温度升高影响显著(P<0.05);灌丛植被生长季缩短受春季降水量减少影响显著(P<0.05);草丛和农田植被生长季延长受夏季降水量增加影响显著(P<0.05)。     

Impact of climate change on plant phenology in Mediterranean ecosystems

Plant phenology is strongly controlled by climate and has consequently become one of the most reliable bioindicators of ongoing climate change. We used a dataset of more than 200 000 records for six phenological events of 29 perennial plant species monitored from 1943 to 2003 for a comprehensive assessment of plant phenological responses to climate change in the Mediterranean region. Temperature, precipitation and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) were studied together during a complete annual cycle before phenological events to determine their relative importance and potential seasonal carry‐over effects. Warm and dry springs under a positive phase of NAO advance flowering, leaf unfolding and fruiting dates and lengthen the growing season. Spatial variability of dates (range among sites) was also reduced during warm and dry years, especially for spring events. Climate during previous weeks to phenophases occurrence had the greatest impact on plants, although all events were also affected by climate conditions several months before. Immediate along with delayed climate effects suggest dual triggers in plant phenology. Climatic models accounted for more than 80% of variability in flowering and leaf unfolding dates, and in length of the growing season, but for lower proportions in fruiting and leaf falling. Most part of year‐to‐year changes in dates was accounted for temperature, while precipitation and NAO accounted for <10% of dates' variability. In the case of flowering, insect‐pollinated species were better modelled by climate than wind‐pollinated species. Differences in temporal responses of plant phenology to recent climate change are due to differences in the sensitivity to climate among events and species. Spring events are changing more than autumn events as they are more sensitive to climate and are also undergoing the greatest alterations of climate relative to other seasons. In conclusion, climate change has shifted plant phenology in the Mediterranean region.     

Plant phenology and global climate change: Current progresses and challenges

Plant phenology, the annually recurring sequence of plant developmental stages, is important for plant functioning and ecosystem services and their biophysical and biogeochemical feedbacks to the climate system. Plant phenology depends on temperature, and the current rapid climate change has revived interest in understanding and modeling the responses of plant phenology to the warming trend and the consequences thereof for ecosystems. Here, we review recent progresses in plant phenology and its interactions with climate change. Focusing on the start (leaf unfolding) and end (leaf coloring) of plant growing seasons, we show that the recent rapid expansion in ground‐ and remote sensing‐ based phenology data acquisition has been highly beneficial and has supported major advances in plant phenology research. Studies using multiple data sources and methods generally agree on the trends of advanced leaf unfolding and delayed leaf coloring due to climate change, yet these trends appear to have decelerated or even reversed in recent years. Our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the plant phenology responses to climate warming is still limited. The interactions between multiple drivers complicate the modeling and prediction of plant phenology changes. Furthermore, changes in plant phenology have important implications for ecosystem carbon cycles and ecosystem feedbacks to climate, yet the quantification of such impacts remains challenging. We suggest that future studies should primarily focus on using new observation tools to improve the understanding of tropical plant phenology, on improving process‐based phenology modeling, and on the scaling of phenology from species to landscape‐level.     

The effects of climate change on species composition,succession and phenology: a case study

Climate change and its role in altering biological interactions and the likelihood of invasion by introduced species in marine systems have received increased attention in recent years. It is difficult to forecast how climate change will influence community function or the probability of invasion as it alters multiple marine environmental parameters including rising water temperature, lower salinity and pH. In the present study, we correlate changes in environmental parameters to shifts in species composition in a subtidal community in Newcastle, NH through comparison of two, 3‐year periods separated by 23 years (1979–1981 and 2003–2005). We observed concurrent shifts in climate related factors and in groups of organisms that dominate the marine community when comparing 1979–1981 to 2003–2005. The 1979–1981 community was dominated by perennial species (mussels and barnacles). In contrast, the 2003–2005 community was dominated by annual native and invasive tunicates (sea‐squirts). We also observed a shift in the environmental factors that characterized both communities. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphate characterized the 1979–1981 community while sea surface temperature, pH, and chlorophyll a characterized the 2003–2005 community. Elongated warmer water temperatures, through the fall and early winter months of the 2000s, extended the growing season of native organisms and facilitated local dominance of invasive species. Additionally, beta‐diversity was greater between 2003–2005 than 1979–1981 and driven by larger numbers of annual species whose life‐history characteristics (e.g., timing and magnitude of recruitment, growth and mortality) are driven by environmental parameters, particularly temperature.     

Why climate change will invariably alter selection pressures on phenology

The seasonal timing of lifecycle events is closely linked to individual fitness and hence, maladaptation in phenological traits may impact population dynamics. However, few studies have analysed whether and why climate change will alter selection pressures and hence possibly induce maladaptation in phenology. To fill this gap, we here use a theoretical modelling approach. In our models, the phenologies of consumer and resource are (potentially) environmentally sensitive and depend on two different but correlated environmental variables. Fitness of the consumer depends on the phenological match with the resource. Because we explicitly model the dependence of the phenologies on environmental variables, we can test how differential (heterogeneous) versus equal (homogeneous) rates of change in the environmental variables affect selection on consumer phenology. As expected, under heterogeneous change, phenotypic plasticity is insufficient and thus selection on consumer phenology arises. However, even homogeneous change leads to directional selection on consumer phenology. This is because the consumer reaction norm has historically evolved to be flatter than the resource reaction norm, owing to time lags and imperfect cue reliability. Climate change will therefore lead to increased selection on consumer phenology across a broad range of situations.     

上海市气候变化和人类活动对植被物候的影响

植被物候是气候和自然环境变化的综合指示器,同时也是研究植物生长发育与气候变化的重要参数。随着经济社会的发展夜间灯光兼具指示人类活动信息和光照强度的特点,成为研究城市生态系统和生态建设的热点。基于此,利用地理探测器分析方法和变量投影重要性指标,从时间和空间尺度上探究温度、降水、辐射和夜间灯光对2001—2020年上海市植被物候进行时空变化分析和归因分析,并结合城区和郊区的差异进一步分析夜间灯光和环境因子对物候的影响贡献。结果表明：2001—2020年上海市城区温度高于郊区约0.63℃,春季物候(start growth of season, SOS)提前郊区10d左右,秋季物候(end growth of season, EOS)推迟郊区7d左右,夜间灯光高于郊区2.9倍并且其重心向沿海方向显著偏移。空间尺度上夜间灯光对SOS的影响权重最大(q=0.15),并且辐射∩夜间灯光的组合驱动对城区和郊区的植被物候影响权重均最大(q_max=0.29)。时间尺度上SOS与温度的关系最密切,且随温度的增加而提前(平均R_温度=-0.24),EOS与夜间灯光的...     

Challenges in predicting climate change impacts on pome fruit phenology

Climate projection data were applied to two commonly used pome fruit flowering models to investigate potential differences in predicted full bloom timing. The two methods, fixed thermal time and sequential chill-growth, produced different results for seven apple and pear varieties at two Australian locations. The fixed thermal time model predicted incremental advancement of full bloom, while results were mixed from the sequential chill-growth model. To further investigate how the sequential chill-growth model reacts under climate perturbed conditions, four simulations were created to represent a wider range of species physiological requirements. These were applied to five Australian locations covering varied climates. Lengthening of the chill period and contraction of the growth period was common to most results. The relative dominance of the chill or growth component tended to predict whether full bloom advanced, remained similar or was delayed with climate warming. The simplistic structure of the fixed thermal time model and the exclusion of winter chill conditions in this method indicate it is unlikely to be suitable for projection analyses. The sequential chill-growth model includes greater complexity; however, reservations in using this model for impact analyses remain. The results demonstrate that appropriate representation of physiological processes is essential to adequately predict changes to full bloom under climate perturbed conditions with greater model development needed.     

Rapid evolution of phenology during range expansion with recent climate change

Although climate warming is expected to make habitat beyond species’ current cold range edge suitable for future colonization, this new habitat may present an array of biotic or abiotic conditions not experienced within the current range. Species’ ability to shift their range with climate change may therefore depend on how populations evolve in response to such novel environmental conditions. However, due to the recent nature of thus far observed range expansions, the role of rapid adaptation during climate change migration is only beginning to be understood. Here, we evaluated evolution during the recent native range expansion of the annual plant Dittrichia graveolens, which is spreading northward in Europe from the Mediterranean region. We examined genetically based differentiation between core and edge populations in their phenology, a trait that is likely under selection with shorter growing seasons and greater seasonality at northern latitudes. In parallel common garden experiments at range edges in Switzerland and the Netherlands, we grew plants from Dutch, Swiss, and central and southern French populations. Population genetic analysis following RAD‐sequencing of these populations supported the hypothesized central France origins of the Swiss and Dutch range edge populations. We found that in both common gardens, northern plants flowered up to 4 weeks earlier than southern plants. This differentiation in phenology extended from the core of the range to the Netherlands, a region only reached from central France over approximately the last 50 years. Fitness decreased as plants flowered later, supporting the hypothesized benefits of earlier flowering at the range edge. Our results suggest that native range expanding populations can rapidly adapt to novel environmental conditions in the expanded range, potentially promoting their ability to spread.     

Altered geographic and temporal variability in phenology in response to climate change

Aim In response to recent climate warming, numerous studies have reported an earlier onset of spring and, to a lesser degree, a later onset of autumn, both determined from phenological observations. Here, we examine whether these reported changes have affected the synchronization of events on a regional level by examining temporal and spatial variability in phenology. In particular, we study whether years with earlier springs are associated with an altered spatial variability in phenology. Location Germany and the United Kingdom. Methods Plant phenological observations of 35 different phases (events such as flowering and leafing) collected by the German Weather Service (1951–2002) and butterfly phenological records of 29 species collected by the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (1976–2003) are used. In these long‐term records, we examine the temporal (year‐to‐year) variability and the spatial (geographic or between site) variability with particular emphasis on how they vary with time of the year and with earliness or lateness of the phase. Results Early phenological events (i.e. spring) are more variable than later events, both in time and in space, although the pattern is clearer for plants than for butterflies. Confirming previous results, we find a clear relationship between the mean date of spring and summer phases and the degree to which they have become earlier. The spatial variability of spring events is greater in warmer years that have faster plant development. However, late spring and summer events do not show a consistent relationship. Autumn events are somewhat more spatially variable in years characterized by later seasons. Main conclusions This is the first examination of spatial variability of plant and animal phenological events at a multinational scale. Earlier spring events are likely to be associated with increased spatial variability in plants, although this is unlikely to also be true for summer events. If species experience differential changes in geographic variation this may disrupt interactions among them, e.g. in food webs. On the other hand, these may offer advantages for mobile species. Further research on linked species is recommended.     

黄土高原植被物候变化及其对季节性气候变化的响应

受气候变化影响,全球范围内植被物候发生了显著变化,而目前针对不同植被分区类型下（荒漠草原区、典型草原区、森林草原区、落叶栎林区、落叶栎林亚区）植被物候变化及其对季节性气候变化响应的研究尚少。因此基于MODIS遥感归一化差值植被指数（MODIS NDVI：MOD13Q1）数据、中国植被区划数据及135个气象站点插值数据,利用Sen''s斜率估计、Hurst指数和高阶偏相关分析等方法,研究黄土高原2001-2018年植被物侯变化及其对季节性气候变化的响应。结果表明：（1）黄土高原植被生长季始期（SOS,Start of Growing Season）主要集中在第96-144天,子植被分区由西北向东南方向,逐渐呈现提前趋势,71.0%的像元植被SOS整体提前0-2 d/10a （α=0.05）,且在未来一段时间66%的像元植被SOS继续呈现提前趋势;植被生长季末期（EOS,End of Growing Season）主要集中在第288-304天,各子植被分区植被EOS变化基本保持一致,87.6％的像元植被EOS整体延迟0-3 d/10a （α=0.05）,且在未来一段时间有80%的像元植被EOS继续呈现推迟趋势。（2）黄土高原植被SOS主要受各季节温度的影响;当年春季降水导致植被SOS提前,主要分布在黄土高原中部;上年夏季和上年秋季降水增加会导致植被SOS推迟;当年春季、上年秋季和年初冬季的温度升高均会导致植被SOS提前;各子植被分区植被SOS对不同季节降水的响应存在差异,而对不同季节温度的响应具有一致性。（3）黄土高原植被EOS主要受各季节降水和秋季温度的影响;不同季节降水增加均会导致大部分植被EOS推迟;当年秋季温度导致整体区域植被EOS推迟,且各子植被区植被EOS对当年秋季温度响应具有一致性。该研究可为大尺度植被物候影响因素提供新的认识,也为植被适应未来气候变化提供借鉴。     

Environmental controls on the phenology of moths: predicting plasticity and constraint under climate change

Ecological systems have naturally high interannual variance in phenology. Component species have presumably evolved to maintain appropriate phenologies under historical climates, but cases of inappropriate phenology can be expected with climate change. Understanding controls on phenology permits predictions of ecological responses to climate change. We studied phenological control systems in Lepidoptera by analyzing flight times recorded at a network of sites in Finland. We evaluated the strength and form of controls from temperature and photoperiod, and tested for geographic variation within species. Temperature controls on phenology were evident in 51% of 112 study species and for a third of those thermal controls appear to be modified by photoperiodic cues. For 24% of the total, photoperiod by itself emerged as the most likely control system. Species with thermal control alone should be most immediately responsive in phenology to climate warming, but variably so depending upon the minimum temperature at which appreciable development occurs and the thermal responsiveness of development rate. Photoperiodic modification of thermal controls constrains phenotypic responses in phenologies to climate change, but can evolve to permit local adaptation. Our results suggest that climate change will alter the phenological structure of the Finnish Lepidoptera community in ways that are predictable with knowledge of the proximate physiological controls. Understanding how phenological controls in Lepidoptera compare to that of their host plants and enemies could permit general inferences regarding climatic effects on mid- to high-latitude ecosystems.     

Detecting nonlinear response of spring phenology to climate change by Bayesian analysis

The impact of climate change on the advancement of plant phenological events has been heavily studied in the last decade. Although the majority of spring plant phenological events have been trending earlier, this is not universally true. Recent work has suggested that species that are not advancing in their spring phenological behavior are responding more to lack of winter chill than increased spring heat. One way to test this hypothesis is by evaluating the behavior of a species known to have a moderate to high chilling requirement and examining how it is responding to increased warming. This study used a 60‐year data set for timing of leaf‐out and male flowering of walnut (Juglans regia) cultivar ‘Payne’ to examine this issue. The spring phenological behavior of ‘Payne’ walnut differed depending on bud type. The vegetative buds, which have a higher chilling requirement, trended toward earlier leaf‐out until about 1994, when they shifted to later leaf‐out. The date of male bud pollen shedding advanced over the course of the whole record. Our findings suggest that many species which have exhibited earlier bud break are responding to warmer spring temperatures, but may shift into responding more to winter temperatures (lack of adequate chilling) as warming continues.