Monitoring the phenology of <italic>Forsythia velutina</italic>, an endemic plant of Korea

Abstract

Background and objective This study was conducted on Forsythia velutina, a special plant, in Gyeongsangnam-do Arboretum under the Gyeongsangnam-do Forest Environment Research Institute, which is located in the southern part of Korea. Methods The research aimed to analyze the flowering characteristics of the plant by calculating the optimal temperature and humidity according to the flowering time and flowering period for 8 years from 2010 to 2017 in order to provide basic data for bioclimate studies of endemic plants. Results It was observed that the Forsythia velutina showed a life cycle from mid-March and to mid-November. Average growth period was 243 (± 6.5) days. In testing the reliability of a single variable according to the meteorological factors, the Cronbach’s Alpha was 0.701, which indicates that the findings were relatively reliable. The average date of flowering was March 16 (SD = 5.8) and the average date on which blossoms fall was March 29 (SD = 5.2). A substantial difference in flowering period was observed from year to year 11 to 23 days, with an average of 16 days (± 4.7). The temperature and humidity in February to March, which affect the flowering, were 2.9–5.5°C, and 66.5–73.0%, respectively, and showed differences every year. Conclusion The correlation between flowering time and meteorological factors was positive, and the highest daily temperature and average daily temperature had the highest significance. When establishing basic data on plant species for the conservation of endemic plants, the changes in life cycle events and weather conditions are identified. It is believed that it will be helpful in establishing a conservation strategy for the plant species in the future.