Phenology is the study of the timing of recurring biological events in organisms, particularly plants and animals, and the environmental drivers that regulate these events. It focuses on phase transitions such as leaf-out, flowering, fruiting, migration, and reproduction, and quantifies their relationships with abiotic factors like temperature, photoperiod, and precipitation. As a research topic, phenology integrates field observations, remote sensing, and modeling to analyze interannual variability, long-term trends, and spatial patterns. It is central to understanding organismal responses to climate variability and change, trophic synchrony or mismatch, and feedbacks between biosphere processes and the climate system.
Climate change is causing trees to sprout earlier in spring. Nevertheless, some tree species are growing less. A study by the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL shows that increasing heat and drought are slowing down the ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 7, 2026
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Through DNA analysis of old air samples collected by the Swedish Armed Forces, researchers at Lund University in Sweden can show that spore dispersal of northern mosses has shifted over the past 35 years. It now starts several ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 26, 2025
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Every year, billions of dollars' worth of crops worldwide perish due to pre-harvest sprouting (PHS), a phenomenon in which grain or seeds germinate on the plant before harvest. The process is triggered by a variety of factors, ...
One of the enduring ichthyological mysteries is how migratory fish know when it is time to move from their winter to summer habitats. The ability to tell when the seasons are changing is crucial for a wide range of major ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 22, 2025
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Warming temperatures and earlier snowmelt are disrupting the long-running relationship between wildflowers and their pollinators on Colorado's Pikes Peak.
Plants & Animals
Oct 21, 2025
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Circadian clocks of wheat can provide a window into the plant's nutrient content and life cycle, finds new research that could improve agricultural production and crop resilience in a changing climate.
Agriculture
Oct 19, 2025
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Are you an early bird or a night owl? The tendency to rise early or sleep late is determined by our circadian clock, which is a biological timekeeper that makes sure our bodies are adjusted to the time of day.
Agriculture
Oct 16, 2025
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Even as autumn days grow shorter, a warming climate means Ohio winters aren't as cold as they were just a few decades ago, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. This increasing mismatch between ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 7, 2025
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Fall is in the air and thoughts turn to pumpkins, cider and brightly colored leaves. According to experts at the University of New Hampshire's Extension, despite drought conditions in the Northeast, there should be plenty ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 7, 2025
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23
For many plants, spring is just a really good time. They have endured a cold, dark, hard winter and in some places, winters can be murderously tough for plants.
Plants & Animals
Sep 9, 2025
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