NECTAR: Network of Ecological and Climatological Timings Across Regions

The Network of Ecological and Climatological Timings Across Regions (NECTAR) database was designed to bring together species-rich plant phenology with a focus on non-clonal, non-cultivated species observations of natural communities. Towards this goal, in October 2009, we reviewed the literature for ground (not herbarium) observational studies of species phenology, searching ISI for topic: (plant phenolog*) and Topic: (observat*) and Topic: (time-series OR long-term). Combined with personal knowledge, we identified 61 datasets. Of these we gained access to 26 datasets (23 with raw data, 4 with only mean phenological values---derived data) and merged these into a common format for the raw and derived data. Further details regarding NECTAR development can be found in the Supplementary materials here:

Wolkovich, E.M., B.I. Cook, J.M. Allen, T.M. Crimmins, J.L. Betancourt, S.E. Travers, S. Pau, J. Regetz, T.J. Davies, N.J.B. Kraft, T.R. Ault, K. Bolmgren, S.J. Mazer, G.J. McCabe, B.J. McGill, C. Parmesan, N. Salamin, M.D. Schwartz, and E.E. Cleland, 2012: Warming experiments underpredict plant phenological responses to climate change. Nature, doi:10.1038/nature11014. AND here:

Cook, Benjamin; Wolkovich, Elizabeth; Davies, Jonathan; Ault, Toby; Betancourt, Julio; Allen, Jenica; Bolmgren, Kjell; Cleland, Elsa; Crimmins, Theresa; Kraft, Nathan; Lancaster, Lesley; Mazer, Susan; McCabe, Gregory; McGill, Brian; Parmesan, Camille; Pau, Stephanie; Regetz, James; Salamin, Nicholas; Schwartz, Mark; Travers, Steven. Sensitivity of spring phenology to warming across temporal and spatial climate gradients in two independent databases. Ecosystems, in press.