Abstract
Land surface phenology (LSP), the study of the timing of recurring cycles of changes in the land surface using time-series of satellite sensor-derived vegetation indices, is a valuable tool for monitoring vegetation at global and continental scales. Characterisation of LSP and its spatial variation is required to reveal and predict ongoing changes in Earth system dynamics. This study presents and analyses the LSP of the pan-European continent for the last decade, considering three phenological metrics: onset of greenness (OG), end of senescence (EOS), and length of season (LS). The whole time-series of Multi-temporal Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index (MTCI) data at 1 km spatial resolution was used to estimate the phenological metrics. Results show a progressive pattern in phenophases from low to high latitudes. OG dates are distributed widely from the end of December to the end of May. EOS dates range from the end of May to the end of January and the spatial distribution is generally the inverse of that of the OG. Shorter growing seasons (approximately three months) are associated with rainfed croplands in Western Europe, and forests in boreal and mountainous areas. Maximum LS values appear in the Atlantic basin associated with grasslands. The LSP maps presented in this study are supported by the findings of a previous study where OG and EOS estimates were compared to those of the pan-European phenological network at certain locations corresponding to numerous observations of deciduous tree plant species. Moreover, the spatio-temporal pattern of the OG and EOS produced close agreement with the dates of deciduous tree leaf unfolding and autumnal colouring, respectively (pseudo R-squared equal to 0.70 and 0.71 and root mean square error of six days (over 365 days)).
Highlights
Phenology, the study of the timing of recurring biological cycles, has emerged as an important scientific research focus as vegetation phenological events are regarded as one of the indicators of climate change [1,2,3]
The present research was based on the estimation of the date of different land surface phenological events using Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) MTCI time-series data, providing a description of how OG, end of senescence (EOS), and length of season (LS) vary for major vegetation types across the main biogeographical regions of the pan-European continent
MERIS MTCI time-series were used to spatially characterise the phenology of the pan-European continent, and this phenology was analysed by main vegetation type and biogeographical region
Summary
The study of the timing of recurring biological cycles, has emerged as an important scientific research focus as vegetation phenological events are regarded as one of the indicators of climate change [1,2,3]. All vegetation phenological events, such as emergence of the first leaf, flowerin,g or senescence, occur at a specific time depending upon the species, and local environmental and climatic conditions of the current and preceding months. In northern latitude regions such as Europe, temperature is one of the main drivers regulating vegetation phenological events. Given the pivotal role of this aspect of vegetation dynamics (phenology responds to climate drivers; phenology drives ecosystem functioning and land-atmosphere exchanges), there is a pressing need for routine monitoring of vegetation phenology and to understand further how these events vary over space and time. Characterisation of the spatial patterns in phenology across extensive regions, as an indicator of the status of ecosystems, is important in understanding existing conditions as well as future changes
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