Deciduous forest responses to temperature, precipitation, and drought imply complex climate change impacts.

ABSTRACT: Changes in spring and autumn phenology of temperate plants in recent decades have become iconic bio-indicators of rapid climate change. These changes have substantial ecological and economic impacts. However, autumn phenology remains surprisingly little studied. Although the effects of unfavorable environmental conditions (e.g., frost, heat, wetness, and drought) on autumn phenology have been observed for over 60 y, how these factors interact to influence autumn phenological events remain poorly understood. Using remotely sensed phenology data from 2001 to 2012, this study identified and quantified significant effects of a suite of environmental factors on the timing of fall dormancy of deciduous forest communities in New England, United States. Cold, frost, and wet conditions, and high he

SUBMITTER: Xie Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4640769 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature