The duration of high spring light for understory plants: contrasting responses to spatial and temporal temperature variation

This dataset contains leaf phenology observations of canopy and two understory spring herbs (Trillium erectum and Erythronium americanum) derived from automated camera imagery collected between 2017 and 2023 from 10 sites in Mont St. Joseph, Québec, Canada. Additionally, it contains mean monthly temperatures estimated for each site-year combination using data from in situ climate stations at the base of the mountain. The data were used to investigate how spatial and inter-annual climate variation affect the duration of the high light period for spring understory herbaceous plants. For both understory species and the tree canopy, leaf phenology was sensitive to spatial and temporal variation in spring temperature; earlier leaf expansion occurred at warmer sites and in warmer years. Temporal variation in spring temperature had a stronger effect on understory than canopy phenology, such that warmer temperatures were associated with an increase in the duration of high spring ..., , # The duration of high spring light for understory plants: contrasting responses to spatial and temporal temperature variation

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.15dv41p88](10.5061/dryad.15dv41p88)

## Description of the data and file structure

This dataset contains leaf phenological observations for canopy and two understory spring herbs (*Trillium erectum* and *Erythronium* *americanum*) derived from automated camera imagery collected between 2017 and 2023 from 10 sites in Mont St. Joseph, Québec, Canada. Additionally, it contains mean monthly temperatures estimated for each site-year combination using data from *in situ* climate stations at the base of the mountain. This data supports the manuscript titled \"The duration of high light for understory spring plants: contrasting responses to spatial and temporal temperature variation\" accepted for publication in the Journal of Ecology.

### Files and variables

#### File: Canopy_DOY.csv

##### Variables

* Year: The calendar year during which...,