Editorial: Plant phenology shifts and their ecological and climatic consequences

Abstract

Climate change is causing plant phenology to shift, with consequences for ecosystems and the Earth's climate. Over the last decades, the timing of many important phenological event has advanced in spring, such as leaf emergence and flowering, or been delayed in fall, such as leaf coloration and leaf fall The consequences of such phenological shifts are still largely unknown, but are hypothesized to have cascading effects on ecosystems (e.g. altering species interactions and the foodweb), carbon and water cycles and Earth' s climate With this Research Topic, we aimed to synthesize and inspire innovative research in plant phenology to address research questions and challenges on the consequences of phenological shifts on ecosystem functioning and local hydrology. The articles presented here improve our understanding of the physiological mechanisms responsible for the current phenological changes in spring and fall and provide insight into some of the consequences of these changes on hydrological cycles and ecosystem functioning (Figure

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