Vascular synphenology of plant communities around Cambridge Bay, Victoria Island, Nunavut during the growing season of 2015

The phenology (the timing of life cycle events) of the most representative vascular species in ecosystems around Cambridge Bay (synphenology) has been recorded during the growing season of 2015, from mid-June to beginning of September. Vegetative (leaf) as well as generative (flower and seed) development in shrubby, herbaceous and graminoid plant species have been assessed at weekly intervals using a phenological key with 11 phenological stages, from the development of the first leaf/first floral bud to leaf death/seed dispersal (see data for phenological key). Additionally, the different phenological stages of plants were documented also by digital photographs taken at the time of phenological assessment (not all plants/sites surveyed and photographed are in the data sheet). The phenological development of plant species is strongly dependent on seasonal variations in environmental factors, especially temperature. Phenological records of entire plant communities over periods of many years can serve therefore as invaluable proxies for interannual changes in temperature due to climate change and global warming. The datafiles are available in both excel and csv format.

本研究为同步物候学（synphenology）项目，于2015年生长季（6月中旬至9月初）对剑桥湾周边生态系统中具代表性的维管植物物种（vascular species）的物候学（phenology，即生物生命周期事件的发生时序）特征进行了记录。研究团队采用包含11个物候阶段的物候判定标准，每周对灌木类、草本类以及禾草类植物的营养生长（叶片生长）与生殖生长（开花、结籽）进程开展评估，物候阶段覆盖从首枚叶片/首个花芽萌发至叶片枯萎、种子散播的全周期（物候判定标准详见数据集文件）。此外，研究人员还通过在每次物候评估时拍摄的数码照片记录了植物所处的不同物候阶段（注：并非所有被调查、拍摄的植物与样地信息均收录于本数据集表格中）。植物物种的物候发育进程强烈依赖于环境因子的季节波动，尤以温度变化最为显著。因此，针对整个植物群落的多年连续物候记录，可作为气候变化与全球变暖背景下温度年际变化的珍贵代用指标。本数据集同时提供Excel与CSV两种格式的文件。