Species-specific flowering phenology responses to experimental warming and drought alter herbaceous plant species overlap in a temperate–boreal forest community
- University of Minnesota, Department of Forest Resources, St. Paul, MN USA; University of Florida Extension Education, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
- University of Minnesota, Department of Forest Resources, St. Paul, MN USA
- University of Minnesota, Department of Forest Resources, St. Paul, MN USA; Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD, USA
- University of Minnesota, Department of Forest Resources, St. Paul, MN USA; Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
Abstract Background and AimsWarmer temperatures and altered precipitation patterns are expected to continue to occur as the climate changes. How these changes will impact the flowering phenology of herbaceous perennials in northern forests is poorly understood but could have consequences for forest functioning and species interactions. Here, we examine the flowering phenology responses of five herbaceous perennials to experimental warming and reduced summer rainfall over 3 years. MethodsThis study is part of the B4WarmED experiment located at two sites in northern Minnesota, USA. Three levels of warming (ambient, +1.6 °C and +3.1 °C) were crossed with two rainfall manipulations (ambient and 27 % reduced growing season rainfall). Key ResultsWe observed species-specific responses to the experimental treatments. Warming alone advanced flowering for four species. Most notably, the two autumn blooming species showed the strongest advance of flowering to warming. Reduced rainfall alone advanced flowering for one autumn blooming species and delayed flowering for the other, with no significant impact on the three early blooming species. Only one species, Solidago spp., showed an interactive response to warming and rainfall manipulation by advancing in +1.6 °C warming (regardless of rainfall manipulation) but not advancing in the warmest, driest treatment. Species-specific responses led to changes in temporal overlap between species. Most notably, the two autumn blooming species diverged significantly in their flowering timing. In ambient conditions, these two species flowered within the same week. In the warmest, driest treatment, flowering occurred over a month apart. ConclusionsHerbaceous species may differ in how they respond to future climate conditions. Changes to phenology may lead to fewer resources for insects or a mismatch between plants and pollinators.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-07ER64456
- OSTI ID:
- 1849829
- Journal Information:
- Annals of Botany, Vol. 127, Issue 2; ISSN 0305-7364
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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