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Multidecadal Changes and Interannual Variation in Springtime Phenology of North American Temperate and Boreal Deciduous Forests
Author(s) -
Melaas Eli K.,
SullaMenashe Damien,
Friedl Mark A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2017gl076933
Subject(s) - phenology , boreal , taiga , temperate climate , climate change , deciduous , temperate forest , temperate rainforest , temperate deciduous forest , climatology , environmental science , physical geography , geography , global change , ecosystem , ecology , forestry , geology , biology , archaeology
The timing of leaf emergence is an important diagnostic of climate change impacts on ecosystems. Here we present the first continental‐scale analysis of multidecadal changes in the timing of spring onset across North American temperate and boreal forests based on Landsat imagery. Our results show that leaf emergence in Eastern Temperate Forests has consistently trended earlier, with a median change of about 1 week over the 30 year study period. Changes in leaf emergence dates in boreal forests were more heterogeneous, with some sites showing trends toward later dates. Interannual variability in leaf emergence dates was strongly sensitive to springtime accumulated growing degree days across all sites, and geographic patterns of changes in onset dates were highly correlated with changes in regional springtime temperatures. These results provide a refined characterization of recent changes in springtime forest phenology and improve understanding regarding the sensitivity of North American forests to climate change.