Phenology: what it is, what it is for, examples and its relationship with climate change

Phenology is a branch of ecology that studies the relationship of the cycles of living beings with the changing environmental factors that arise in the different seasons of the year. Let us now review the origin of phenology. The person who created this new approach to life was Charles François Antoine Morren in 1849. He noticed the need to have in an orderly manner the different phases that plants went through throughout the year, with the intention of being able to understand them better. He achieved this by making observations at different points over time.

First of all, the objective of ecological phenology is to create a database, which is built with information that is then organized to be consulted. In practical terms, phenology helps us better understand living beings. As an organized tool within the astronomical year, you can know how living beings are going to change in a given period of time.

With this knowledge, it is possible to know what to expect from each living being analyzed, which is very useful for other disciplines of biology. The applications of phenology can be used, for example, in agronomy to rotate crops, for ornithology where migratory pathways are analyzed, or in veterinary medicine to know the reproductive seasons of farmed animals.

Finally, phenology can be used to keep a record of how the behaviors of living beings are changing depending on changes in the climate, whether due to natural or anthropogenic causes, and to be able to act against them.

Phenology can be divided into two large groups, that which studies plants and that which studies animals. Let’s review below what phenological phenomena exist for each group.

Phytophenology

• Germination.
• Appearance of the first leaf.
• Development of lateral shoots.
• Stem elongation.
• Appearance of new shoots.
• Bloom.
• Fruit ripening.
• Fruit fall.
• Seed dispersal.
• Leaf fall.

Zoophenology

• Courtship.
• Nest construction.
• Copulation.
• Gestation.
• Delivery.
• Weaning.
• Sexual maturation.
• Color change by season.
• Migration.
• Burrow construction.
• Territory marking.
• Hibernation.

In this Evidence Network video you can learn more about hibernation.

Phenology uses stages to explain the different processes of a living being, in which it is analyzed when a particular stage begins and ends, how long it lasts, and what is concluded.

The so-called biological or phenological stations are useful for their study, which are small enclosures in the middle of wild ecosystems that serve to monitor the surrounding living beings and changes in the seasons of the year. Networks usually form at different points to compare, complete and share the information obtained.

There are different ways to study biological phenology, based on various scales that seek to locate certain phenological phenomena in time, which we detailed above.

Phenological studies use microclimatic factors to determine changes in living things. Below, we explain what they are.

Climate and temperature

The climate and temperature vary depending on the geographical position, depending on the distance or proximity to the poles and the tropics. Climate should not be confused with meteorological weather, since climate remains constant for a region over a long period of time and characterizes it, while weather is the short-term variation. For example, the climate of Mediterranean countries is characterized by having humid winters and dry summers, but there are days when it can be cloudy or windy, and the latter is what refers to meteorological weather.

Photoperiod

The photoperiod is another abiotic factor that changes throughout the year. Take for example the countries that are further towards the poles. Here winters have shorter days, compared to summers with long days. This photoperiod can determine several things in living beings, such as spring flowering, which is announced when the photoperiod changes to longer days, or autumn, which in temperate climates indicates that the leaves must fall so as not to freeze in the winter.

Environmental and anthropogenic changes

Finally, we have the changes that are generated in the environment due to causes external to the rotation of the earth and its distance from the sun. These can happen, for example, due to volcanic explosions, changing the amount of light that is available in the environment, or due to frosts that last thousands of years, but currently the majority come from humans and their strong use of natural resources and the emission of greenhouse gases.

Phenology is used to analyze changes in living beings in relation to the modification of the environment, and by analyzing changes in organisms it is possible to determine how the climate has changed over time, even without meteorological measurement tools.

For example, we can know that the temperature is getting higher by the early blooming of flowers. Likewise, the climate of the past can be reconstructed by the abundance of certain plants or by characteristics of fossils.

Phenology is important to know the patterns of living beings based on their external causes. This is useful for the different applications of phenology that allow man to take advantage of natural resources and promote conservation strategies.

On the other hand, phenology is of great help to know the role of man and his habits in the environment, to know how climate change affects natural cycles. Through changes in the behavior of living beings, it can be corroborated with evidence that there are effects on the increase in global temperature, and that decisions must be made to develop preventive strategies that protect our planet. The ecological consequences of phenological imbalances will be reflected in all forms of life, expressed as mass extinctions and serious losses of biodiversity.

Now that you know what phenology is and what its importance is, we recommend you read this article about Ecological Imbalance: what it is, causes, consequences and examples.

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