Phenology in a Changing World: Integrating Observations, Models, and Applications Across Scales

Plant phenology, marked by the timing of leaf-out, flowering, fruiting, and senescence, is a crucial biological indicator of global environmental change. These phenological shifts impact plant fitness, community dynamics, ecosystem functions, and agricultural productivity. Despite extensive research and varied data availability, significant knowledge gaps persist, restricting accurate predictions and management of phenological responses under climate change. Current research reveals biases such as the predominance of studies on woody species in temperate, natural ecosystems while underrepresenting herbaceous plants, crops, grasslands, urban vegetation, and tropical or arid systems. Similarly, there is a focus on spring phenophases, neglecting others like autumn senescence and winter processes, which limit generalization across taxa and regions.Recent advances highlight the need to integrate diverse observational approaches. Traditional long-term field networks remain vital, but complementary innovations like remote sensing, phenocams, UAV imagery, herbaria, manipulative experiments, and citizen science are underutilized in tandem. Standardizing phenophase definitions and ensuring FAIR (findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability) data practices will enhance comparability and reproducibility. Meanwhile, modeling approaches are evolving from empirical regression models to process-based simulations and machine-learning techniques. Scaling issues and driver interactions (e.g., photoperiod, snow dynamics) pose further challenges requiring attention. Addressing these complexities will significantly improve modeling projections under changing climatic conditions.This Research Topic seeks to advance phenology research by exploring a diverse range of contributions. It aims to address underrepresented taxa and ecosystems, less studied phenophases and seasons, and the integration of multi-source data. To gather further insights into the ecological and societal consequences of phenological shifts, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Studies of underrepresented taxa (herbaceous plants, crops, grasses) and ecosystems (tropical, arid, urban, agricultural)• Research on less studied phenophases and seasons, particularly autumn and reproductive stages• Integration of multi-source data (field, remote sensing, phenocams, citizen science, experimental)• Advances in modeling, scaling, and representing interacting environmental drivers• Ecological and societal implications of phenological change, including mismatches and ecosystem feedback• Innovations in data standards, infrastructures, and open science practices for phenologyBy addressing these gaps, this Research Topic aims to propel phenological science toward a more comprehensive, globally representative, and societally relevant discipline, showcasing its vital role in addressing rapid global change. Topic editors: Emma Izquierdo-Verdiguier, Barbara Templ, PhD, Koen Hufkens Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/76353/phenology-in-a-changing-world-integrating-observations-models-and-applications-across-scales