Abstract
Plant phenology (PP), i.e. the study of recurring biological events within the annual plant life cycle, is of central importance for plant functioning, ecosystem services, biogeochemical cycles and the feedbacks of ecosystems to climate. Studying the impacts of environment on plant phenology is essential in order to understand how climate change will reverberate on the above-mentioned aspects. The Mediterranean Basin is greatly affected by climate change, and tree species that here have their southern limits of distribution (Southern Temperate Forests, STF) will be among the most vulnerable and subject to functional changes. While the influences of photoperiod and temperature on PP have been extensively studied, there is a gap of knowledge regarding the roles of water and nutrient availability, and of their interactions, in general and for STF. Wide margins of implementation also exist in ecological models for the prediction of phenology of these liminal biomes, especially regarding their sensitivity to drought and nutrient availability. The PHENO-TEMP project combines manipulation experiments, ground-based observations and modelling for the purpose of (i) studying the role of water and nutrients on spring phenology of pioneer and late-successional deciduous temperate species at their southern limit of distribution in Europe, and (ii) integrating the knowledge gained with field work into the ORCHIDEE-CN-CAN model, in order to improve the prediction of future phenological shifts and of their impacts at the ecosystem level. PHENO-TEMP lies at the intersection among phenology, ecophysiology, biogeochemical cycles and ecological modelling, and will provide novel insights about understudied drivers of forest tree phenology on the edge between the temperate and Mediterranean climate zones, combining an innovative experimental approach with modelling.
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