Contrasting effects of experimental warming in the initiation year and the flowering year on flower phenology of boreal understory species.

ABSTRACT:

Premise

High-latitude plants initiate flower primordia at least 1 year before flowering. While impacts of rising temperatures on phenology in the flowering year are well studied, the effects of warmer temperatures in the initiation year (IY; the year before flowering) are virtually unknown.

Methods

At 19 sites in interior Alaska, we experimentally warmed flower primordia of seven boreal species in the initiation year, flowering year, or both and tracked flowering phenology in the flowering year for two cohorts. For two species (Vaccinium uliginosum and Vaccinium vitis-idaea), we also tracked developmental stages of flower primordia.

Results

Warming in the flowering year resulted in earlier flowering for four species (V. vitis-idaea, Rhododendron groenlandicum, Viburnu

SUBMITTER: Mulder CPH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12918847 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature