Journal
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
Volume 15, Issue 5, Pages 1141-1152Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01831.x
Keywords
Arizona; climate; climate change; elevation gradient; flowering range; phenology; range shift; species distribution; species response to climate; warming temperatures
Funding
- Sonoran Desert Network, US National Park Service
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Many studies have demonstrated plant response to warming temperatures, both as advancement in the timing of phenological events and in range shifts. Mountain gradients are ideal laboratories for studying species range changes. In this study of 363 plant species in bloom collected in five segments across a 1200 m (4158 ft) elevation gradient, we look for changes in species flowering ranges over a 20-year period. Ninety-three species (25.6%) exhibited a significant change in the elevation at which they flowered from the first half to the second half of the record, with many of these changes occurring at higher elevations. Most of the species exhibiting the changes were perennial plants. Interestingly, though many changes in flowering range were specific to higher elevations, range changes occurred all across the gradient. The changes reported in this study are concurrent with significant increases in summer temperatures across the region and are consistent with observed changes around the globe.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available