Spring flowering response to climate change between 1936 and 2006 in Alberta, Canada

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorHamann, A.
dc.contributor.authorBeaubien, E.
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-01T12:28:48Z
dc.date.available2025-05-01T12:28:48Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.descriptionAbstract: In documenting biological responses to climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has used phenology studies from many parts of the world, but data from the high latitudes of North America are missing. In the present article, we evaluate climate trends and the corresponding changes in sequential bloom times for seven plant species in the central parklands of Alberta, Canada (latitude 52 degrees-57 degrees north). For the study period of 71 years (1936-2006), we found a substantial warming signal, which ranged from an increase of 5.3 degrees Celsius (degrees C) in the mean monthly temperatures for February to an increase of 1.5 degrees C in those for May. The earliest-blooming species' (Populus tremuloides and Anemone patens) bloom dates advanced by two weeks during the seven decades, whereas the later-blooming species' bloom dates advanced between zero and six days. The early-blooming species' bloom dates advanced faster than was predicted by thermal time models, which we attribute to decreased diurnal temperature fluctuations. This unexpectedly sensitive response results in an increased exposure to late-spring frosts.
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.7939/R3FJ0D
dc.language.isoen
dc.relation.isversionofBeaubien, E. and Hamann, A. (2011). Spring flowering response to climate change between 1936 and 2006 in Alberta, Canada. BioScience, 61(7), 514–524. DOI: 10.1525/bio.2011.61.7.6
dc.rights© 2011 American Institute of Biological Sciences. This version of this article is open access and can be downloaded and shared. The original author(s) and source must be cited.
dc.subjectGlobal warming
dc.subjectCanada
dc.subjectFlowering
dc.subjectClimate change
dc.subjectPhenology
dc.titleSpring flowering response to climate change between 1936 and 2006 in Alberta, Canada
dc.typehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
ual.jupiterAccesshttp://terms.library.ualberta.ca/public

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
BS_61_2011_514.pdf
Size:
959.65 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

Journal Articles (Renewable Resources)