GC: n
CT: Phenology is an important subject to study, because it helps us understand the health of species and ecosystems. Animals and plants do not live in bubbles, every species has an impact on those in its food chain and community. The timing of one species’ phenological events can be very important to the survival of another species.
S: NWF – http://www.nwf.org/wildlife/wildlife-conservation/phenology.aspx (last access: 15 December 2016)
N: 1. “study of the influence of climate on recurring natural phenomena,” 1881, from German (phänologisch, Karl Fritsch, 1853) from Latin phaeno-, from Greek phaino-, from phainein “to show” + -logy. Related: Phenological (1875).
2. Phenological observations have provided indications of the progress of the natural calendar – when seasons begin and change – since pre-agricultural times. The Chinese are thought to have kept the first written records dating back to around 974 B.C. For the past 1200 years, observations of the timing of peak cherry blossoms in Japan have been recorded.
3. Phenology is the art of observing life cycle phases or activities of plants and animals in their temporal occurrence throughout the year. These studies permit a phenological calendar to be constructed and superimposed on the astronomic or civil calendar, such that the seasons of the year are not marked by calendar dates but rather by dated groups of phenological events.
4. The three main non-biological factors that affect phenology are:
- Sunlight.
- Temperature.
- Precipitation (rainfall, snowfall, etc.).
These three factors work together to determine the timing of natural events.
S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=phenology (last access: 25 December 2016). 2. BB – http://budburst.org/phenology_history (last access: 15 December 2016). 3. TPLUS – http://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-eng.html?lang=eng&i=1&srchtxt=fenolog%C3%ADa&codom2nd_wet=1#resultrecs (last access: 15 December 2016). 4. NWF – http://www.nwf.org/wildlife/wildlife-conservation/phenology.aspx (last access: 15 December 2016).
SYN:
S:
CR: climate change, ecology, environment.
