Abstract Detail

Ecology

Phenological Change At High Latitudes.

Global climate change is progressing quickly at high latitudes, and plant responses are multivariate. Phenological change is well documented, particularly with regards to spring phenology. Earlier snowmelts and warmer temperatures are driving many high latitude arctic and alpine species to green-up and flower earlier, but it is unknown if this means that growing season lengths will increase. Later phenophases are less well-studied, particularly senescence, and the factors which control senescence are likely more complicated than spring phenology. Phenological response will likely vary not only between phenophases, but between communities and life forms. I tested how plastic later phenophases are in comparison to spring phenology—and how this may affect growing season length—across three years using a phenological dataset from Abisko, Sweden. I found that species from different communities and different life-forms—ranging from boreal shrubs to arctic forbs show remarkable similarity in senescence timing. Variation in the timing of phenophase transition declined throughout the growing season, with senesce markedly less variable than greening-up. Senescence does appear to track spring phenology, however. In 2017 spring was delayed due to an above-average snowmelt, and senescence was similarly delayed, resulting in increase exposure to frost. This suggests that while high-latitude species may respond well to advancing springs, they do not appear to be capable of taking advantage of later falls, and growing season length may remain stable.

1 - University of Guelph, Integrative Biology, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G2W1, Canada

Keywords:
phenology
arctic
seasonal senescence.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: EC06001
Abstract ID:930
Candidate for Awards:None