Mesic Temperate Deciduous Forest Phenology

Temperate deciduous forests are distinguished from other deciduous forests around the world by predictably regular transitions between dormant and active seasons. This seasonality is characterized by dramatic changes in canopy structure and function, and overall ecosystem activity. Driven primarily by climatological temperature patterns, cycles of vegetative development and senescence give rise to seasonal changes in biogeochemical cycling and ecological processes. Trophic and ecological interactions are regulated by phenological patterns, influencing competition and ecosystem energy flow. Phenology-mediated fluxes of water, energy, and carbon feed back into the climate system and can influence microclimate as well as local-to-regional weather and larger-scale circulation patterns. In recent decades, temperate deciduous forest phenology has shown a strong sensitivity to climate variability and change, leading to a heightened interest in phenological research in the Anthropocene. In the past decade, we have learned much about the mechanisms and drivers of deciduous forest phenology, and how phenology might react to future climatic changes. Researchers have obtained such insights through observational, experimental, and modeling efforts. Here, we review the current understanding of biological and environmental drivers of mesic temperate deciduous forest phenology. We discuss biosphere-atmosphere feedbacks, modeling strategies, climate change impacts, and areas of uncertainty where more research is still required.