Source: Gray and Ewers, 2021
Phenology is the study of temporal occurrence of cyclical biological phenomena within trees and plants with respect to changing environmental factors, offers critical insights into how plants adapt to environmental changes. Phenological events, such as leafing, flowering, fruiting and senescence are directly influenced by environmental factors like temperature, rainfall, soil moisture, photoperiod, humidity etc.
In temperate forests, where species have evolved to cope with low temperatures, rising temperatures due to climate change pose significant challenges to the timing and duration of these events. Similarly, in tropical regions, where rainfall patterns often dictate phenological cues, subtle shifts in temperature can disrupt the finely tuned synchrony between plant cycles and environmental conditions. Such shifts not only impact individual species but also alter community dynamics, carbon uptake and nutrient cycles, thus affecting ecosystem services. Consequently, understanding and monitoring forest phenology serve as early indicators of ecosystem response to climate change, crucial for effective conservation and management strategies.
Approaches to study phenology
Phenology studies, crucial for understanding plant responses to climate change, are conducted both in the field by visual method and through remote sensing methods. In the field, researchers monitor phenological events like leafing, flowering, fruiting and senescence, correlating them with environmental factors. Field studies offer direct observations but are limited in spatial coverage. Remote sensing, satellite time-series data, provides broader coverage and tracks phenological trends across large areas. Satellite data, such as NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index) capture vegetation dynamics, while advancements in near-surface remote sensing (Phenocam) and UAV (Unmanned Arial Vehicle) technology offer detailed insights from the plant-to-landscape scale. Integrating phenology into conservation strategies is vital for preserving ecosystem functionality amidst climate change challenges.
Bridging the Gap: Phenology and Conservation Biology
(Image source: Young, A. 2016)
Phenology plays a crucial role in conservation biology by informing strategies for managing plant genetic resources and understanding plant-animal interactions. It helps predict climate change impacts on species distributions, ecosystem processes and ecosystem services. Plant phenology influences various organisms, including insects like bees. For instance, changes in flowering times can disrupt the synchrony between plant blooming and bee foraging, impacting pollination efficiency and ultimately plant reproduction. In any forest type, where many bee species are active during the flowering season, shifts in plant phenology due to climate change can lead to mismatches between plants and their pollinators. This disruption not only affects plant reproductive success but also threatens the food resources of bees, which can have cascading effects on entire ecosystems, including bird populations reliant on insects for food during breeding seasons. Thus, understanding and managing plant phenology is crucial for conserving biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
Epilogue
Phenology stands as a crucial tool in understanding and predicting the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. Its integration into conservation biology provides valuable insights into species interactions, ecosystem dynamics and management strategies. By harnessing phenological knowledge, we can better conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services in the face of environmental change.
Prospects for phenology in the future
The future of phenology research lies in its application to conservation science. Novel monitoring strategies, integration with evolutionary history and citizen science initiatives hold promise for advancing our understanding of phenological shifts and their implications for different forest ecosystems. Furthermore, incorporating phenology into predictive models allows differentiation between resilient and sensitive species groups, enabling the development of effective conservation strategies.
References
GRAY, R. E. J. AND EWERS, R. M., 2021, Monitoring Forest Phenology in a Changing World. Forests, 12(3): 297.
YOUNG, A., 2016, The Effect of Climate Change on Pollinators and the Implications for Global Agriculture: A Case Study in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon. Senior thesis. Yale College, New Haven.
Content credits:
Dr. Kiran K C
Senior Research Fellow
Department for Climate Change
Environmental Management & Policy Research Institute (EMPRI)