Phenology Across Scales: An Intercontinental Analysis of Leaf-Out Dates in Temperate Deciduous Tree Communities

Abstract

We conducted the first intercontinental analysis of the variability of leaf-out at the scale of tree communities. North American and European forests showed similar intra-community variability of leaf-out, in spite of their differences in terms of species richness and phylogenetic diversity, highlighting the relevance of environmental controls on intra-community variability of leaf-out. We quantified two ecological implications of intra-community variability of leaf-out (difference in terms of radiation received and exposure to late frost), which should be explored in the context of ongoing climate change, which affects trees differently according to their phenological niche.