Abstract Detail

Ecology

Xie, Yingying [1], Thammavong, Hanna [1], Park, Daniel [1].

The ecological implications of intra- and inter-species variation in phenological sensitivity.

Plant-pollinator mutualisms highly rely upon temporal synchrony. Climate change can substantially disrupt such relationships as phenological responses to climate vary across species. However, intraspecific variation in phenological responses exits as well, but is seldom considered, limiting our understanding of climate change impacts on interactions among taxa across their ranges. We investigated how variation in phenological sensitivity to climate alter ecological interactions simultaneously within and among species using natural history collections and citizen science data. We focus on a unique system, comprising a wide-ranged spring ephemeral, Claytonia virginica, and its specialist bee pollinator, Andrena erigeniae. We find significant intra- and inter-specific variation in phenological sensitivity across these taxa, and predict that climate change will lead to varying degrees of increased temporal separation between flowering times and pollinator activity. Our study demonstrates the complexity and fragility of ecological interactions in time and the necessity of incorporating variation in phenological responses across multiple axes to understand how such interactions will change in the future. 

1 - Purdue University, 915 W State St, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, United States

Keywords:
ecoregion
flowering
occurrence
phenological sensitivity
phenological mismatch
spring beauty miner bee
Virginia spring beauty.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: EC06005
Abstract ID:122
Candidate for Awards:None