Climate change research indicates that “biological spring†has shifted earlier in most parts of the world, with plants leafing and flowering approximately one week earlier than a century ago. Such work uses plant phenology—the timing of life-history events—to track responses to warming. Plant phenology is strongly linked to climate, can be easily observed, and affects important ecosystem services, thus it is one of the most reported and critical indicators of climate change. However it is also one of the most variable—showing remarkable variation across species, habitats, and time. Elizabeth Wolkovich, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, (and talented photographer – see below) will speak about her research aimed at improved prediction of this variation and how temporal assembly and species attributes may interact with phenology to shape current and future plant communities. The program will be held in the Hunnewell Building of the Arboretum on Thursday, April 24, from 6:30 – 7:30. Free, but registration requested at www.my.arboretum.harvard.edu.
