Abstract Detail

Ecology

Van Natto, Alyson [1], Friedman, Jannice [2], Kim, Natalie [3].

Synchrony of phenology of leaf bud burst and flowering in animal and wind pollinated trees.

The timing of spring phenological events, such as leaf bud burst and flowering, is controlled to a large extent by air temperature in the preceding months. Anthropogenic climate warming is causing advanced leaf out and flowering in many temperate trees, but the extent to which this impacts the two stages is unclear. The degree of synchrony within and among individuals can affect herbivory, competition, and reproductive success. However, these impacts might be different for animal and wind pollinated trees. Here we use historical records from European tree phenology to ask three questions 1) Do animal and wind-pollinated trees show different patterns in the order of flowering and leaf out? 2) Does temperature in the preceding 60 days affect the timing of flowering and leaf out, and is this different depending on pollination? And 3) Has climate change in the past 50 years affected the degree of synchrony in phenology within individuals for animal and wind pollinated trees? We predict that leaf out and flowering phenology have been compressed into shorter time windows and are more unpredictable, which could affect trees differently depending on pollination vector. Wind-pollinated trees tend to flower before they leaf out, to minimize detrimental aerodynamic consequences of intervening foliage. Thus, a mismatch between the timing of leaf out and the timing of flowering could reduce the efficiency of pollination. In contrast, animal pollinated trees need to match their flowering phenology to the availability of suitable pollinators, which themselves are responding to climate change. For both types, shifting phenology earlier increases the risk of frosts damaging leaves and flowers. The consequences of shifting phenology, and coordination between flowering and leaf bud burst, may have different consequence depending on pollination vector, with implications for species ability to adapt and survive future climate warming.

1 - Queen's University, Biology, 116 Barrie St, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
2 - Queen's University, Biology Department, Biosciences Complex , 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
3 - Queen's University, Biology Department, Biosciences Complex, 116 Barrie St, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada

Keywords:
leaf bud burst
flowering
pollination
synchrony
climate change
phenology
global warming
spring variability.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Ecology Posters
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2020
Time: 5:00 PM Time and date to be determined
Number: PEC009
Abstract ID:463
Candidate for Awards:None