Impact of summer defoliation and winter-spring warming on pre-spring carbon availability and spring phenology in sessile oak and Scots pine saplings.

ABSTRACT: Seasonal climate warming affects temperate plant phenology differently. Early winter warming can delay dormancy release and budburst due to insufficient chilling, while late winter or spring warming advances budburst. Additionally, the influence of pre-spring non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) availability on leaf phenology remains poorly understood. We explored the effects of previous late-summer defoliation and winter-spring warming on NSC dynamics and spring leaf phenology in two species: deciduous sessile oak with low chilling sensitivity and evergreen Scots pine with intermediate chilling sensitivity. We observed species-specific responses of leaf phenology to warming and defoliation. Winter warming delayed leaf unfolding in pine but not in oak, likely reflecting the greater chilling r

SUBMITTER: Yang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12781091 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature