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Phenological response of tropical plants to regional climate change in Xishuangbanna, south-western China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2013

Junbin Zhao ,
Yiping Zhang ,
Fuqiang Song ,
Zaifu Xu  and
Laiyun Xiao
Junbin Zhao
Affiliation:
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Yiping Zhang*
Affiliation:
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China
Fuqiang Song
Affiliation:
Yunnan Institute of Environmental Science, Kunming, Yunnan 650034, China
Zaifu Xu
Affiliation:
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
Laiyun Xiao
Affiliation:
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China
*
1Corresponding author. Email: yipingzh@xtbg.ac.cn
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Abstract:

The phenology of temperate plants is vulnerable to climate change. Yet, the phenological responses of tropical plants to climate change are still unclear. In this study, temporal trends (1973–1999) of four phenological events (budburst, growing season, flowering and flowering duration) were studied among 21 plant species in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (south-western China). Fourteen species (67%) showed significant phenological trends during the study period. Seven species (33%) presented delaying trends in budburst (average 1.4 d y−1) and such trend was more likely to be presented in those that started budburst earlier in the dry season. Four species (19%) showed trends of extension in growing season (average of 3.5 d y−1). These vegetative events appeared to be mainly influenced by increasing temperature. Rainfall showed little effects directly, however, the effects of temperature seemed to largely depend on the moisture condition. Flowering duration of five species (24%) was shortened by average 2.1 d y−1 which was most likely to be the result of the decline in sunshine duration during the rainy season. Our results suggest that the phenology of tropical plants has changed significantly in response to the regional climate change but these reactions are somewhat different from those of temperate plants.

Keywords

budburstfloweringflowering durationgrowing seasonphenological trendtropical plant
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , March 2013 , pp. 161 - 172
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

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References

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