Spring Vegetation Research Articles

RESEARCH ON THE INCREASE OF TRITICALE PRODUCTION THROUGH THE MODIFICATION OF THE SOWING RATE AND SUPPLEMENTARY FERTILIZATION, IN THE CLIMATE CONDITIONS OF 2023-2024 IN NORTH-WESTERN ROMANIA

Triticale are known around the world for their properties, borrowed from the genera Triticum aestivum and Secale cereale. They have a high production capacity and a high content of protein and lysine, show a very good resistance to abiotic and biotic stress, and have a high capacity to capitalize on low fertility and acid lands, lands where wheat cannot be cultivated. Along with the advancement of technology and science, the use of triticale grains and plants has seen new fields of use. In addition to feeding animals in different forms, triticale production is also used in the bioethanol, cellulose industry, in the bakery industry and in the manufacture of biscuits, beer, in the food packaging industry, in human medicine and in diets, aquaculture, etc. Due to the expansion of the use of this culture, the need to obtain higher productions is absolutely necessary. In the current study, which took place at the Livada Agricultural Research and Development Station, in Satu-Mare county, northwest Romania, in the period 2023-2024. It was based on the testing of 4 varieties of triticale that were sown in different sowing rates and that received different fertilization schemes, the control version was based on chemical fertilization at the soil level, with complex fertilizer in the fall, and with Nitrolime in the spring vegetation. The experiment was placed under the method of subdivided plots, having three experimental factors; the variety, with 4 graduations, the fertilization, with 3 graduations, the seed size, with 3 graduations. In the pedoclimatic conditions of the reference area, it was found that the Utrifun variety was the most productive, it reacted favorably to the additional fertilization with foliar fertilizer and signed at a plot of 550 seeds/m2 , obtaining productions of over 11.000 kg/ha, in in the case of additional fertilization and with biostimulator, the production started to decrease, however, Utrifun fertilized only in the soil managed to produce over 10.000 kg/ha. This was followed by the Zvelt variety, the latter being Tulnic. These results were obtained under conditions specific to the 2023-2024 period, and in the following years it will be established whether additional fertilization with foliar fertilizers ensures increases in production and whether the additional application of a biostimulator leads to increased production.

Summer atmospheric drying could contribute more to soil moisture change than spring vegetation greening

Widespread spring vegetation greening (inferred by LAI) in the Northern Hemisphere leads to additional summer soil moisture (SM) deficits through increasing transpiration. Meanwhile, vapor pressure deficit (VPD) has also been rising, which can increase atmospheric evaporative demand. However, the extent and magnitude of influence of these two factors on SM changes have not been elucidated. Here, based on the state-of-the-art reanalysis and remote sensing data, we use three statistical methods to quantify the contributions of spring LAI and summer VPD to summer SM deficit. The results show that summer VPD contributes more to SM change than spring LAI in the southwestern and northern regions of North America, northeastern Europe, and central and southeastern Asia, covering 13.4% of the vegetated areas despite of the certain influence of spring vegetation greening on summer soil drying. The results are of great significance for climate change adaptation and the enhancement of surface water management.

NAO Signal in the Increased Interannual Variability of Spring Vegetation in Northeast Asia After the Early 2000s

AbstractBased on the leaf area index (LAI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from 1982 to 2020, this study reveals a significant increase in the intensity of interannual variability (IIV) in spring (April–May) vegetation over Northeast Asia since the early 2000s. This change is closely linked to the notable increase in the IIV of April surface air temperatures over Northeast Asia from the former period (1986–2001) to the latter period (2002–2016). Further analysis also highlights a salient impact of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on the strengthened IIV in vegetation. During the latter period, there is a substantial increase in the IIV of the March NAO compared with the former period. This greater variability allows the positive NAO to significantly influence the net heat fluxes, thereby leading to a positive phase of the North Atlantic tripole (NAT) sea surface temperature (SST) pattern in March. Given the persistence of SSTs, the positive NAT SST pattern lasts to April, subsequently causing positive height anomalies over Northeast Asia through a wave train that originates from the North Atlantic and propagates downstream. This process consequently results in an increase in surface air temperature over Northeast Asia and hence the local vegetation. Thus, the increased IIV of the March NAO is conducive to enhancing the IIV in spring vegetation over Northeast Asia.

Accelerating urban warming effects on the spring phenology in cold cities but decelerating in warm cities

Urban is regarded as the ideal natural laboratory for predicting vegetation growth response to future warming, as urban warming promotes the growth of urban vegetation and advances spring phenology. However, the effects of daytime and nighttime warming on the spring phenology of natural vegetation remain unclear under global warming. Here, we used urbanization intensity (UI) as a proxy for future warming, then investigated the start dates of the growing season (SOS) response to daytime and nighttime warming across different levels of UI. We found both nighttime and daytime temperature sensitivities increased significantly from rural to urban centers in cold cities, decreasing in warm cities. It indicated that the advancement in spring phenology of urban vegetation accelerates along with UI in cold cities but slows down in warm cities. Because in cold cities, urban warming and increased humidity accelerate vegetation growth, while in warm cities urban warming and decreased humidity decelerate growth. Therefore, in future we should consider not only the asymmetrical responses of urban vegetation spring phenology to daytime and nighttime warming, but also the disparate responses in different background climate regions under future warming.

Significant influence of winter Pacific-North American pattern on spring vegetation in mid-high latitude Asia

Abstract Given that the vegetation over mid-high latitude Asia (MHA) has been more variable in recent years, it is necessary to better understand the physical causes of vegetation variations in this region. Based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), this study reveals a close linkage of the variability of spring (April–May) vegetation in MHA to the winter (December–January–February) Pacific-North American (PNA) pattern. When the winter PNA pattern lies in the positive phase, the NDVI tends to decrease in most parts of the MHA region during the following spring. Further analysis suggests that the lagged influence of winter PNA on spring atmospheric circulations and hence the vegetation in MHA is accomplished by the stratospheric pathway. The positive PNA phase can enhance the upward transport of wave energy into the stratosphere over the high latitudes in winter through the linear constructive interference of zonal wavenumber 1 (WN1), consequently leading to a weaker polar vortex in the stratosphere during February-March. Subsequently, the weakened polar vortex signal propagates downward from the stratosphere to the troposphere, inducing the negative Arctic Oscillation-like circulation with an anomalous cyclonic circulation dominating the MHA region in spring. The anomalous cyclonic circulation further cools the surface air temperature in MHA via modulating downward solar radiation and temperature advection, resulting in a decrease of spring NDVI in situ.

Interactions of climate, topography, and soil factors can enhance the effect of a single factor on spring phenology in the arid/semi-arid grasslands of China

Understanding the interactions among climate, topography, and soil factors on vegetation spring phenology can help reveal the feedback mechanisms of vegetation ecosystems in response to environmental conditions and climate change. Nonetheless, the coupling effects of these environmental elements on vegetation start of season (SOS) are still poorly understood. We took Xinjiang Province, a typical arid/semi-arid region, as the research area and quantitatively analyzed the explanatory power and interactions of climate, topography, and soil factors on grassland SOS through the geographical detector model based on the data extracted by Timesat 3.3 software. The results showed that: (1) From 2001 to 2020, early SOS predominantly occurred from 75 to 105 days in Northern Xinjiang. While later SOS was widespread in Southern Xinjiang from 105 to 135 days. The area of the SOS advanced region was larger than that of the delayed region; (2) There was obvious spatial hierarchical heterogeneity between SOS and climate, topography, and soil factors. Altitude, maximum temperature, and soil type were the primary drivers of SOS changes in the study area (P < 0.001); (3) The interactions among environmental factors strengthened the explanatory power of individual factors, either through mutual reinforcement or non-linear effects. The interactions between elevation and climate factors were particularly significant, with an explanatory power above 0.3. This study highlighted the importance of the coupling effects of environmental variables on SOS and suggested that drives should be considered more comprehensively in future analyses.

Unveiling the dynamic evolution of comparative advantage: assessing the competitiveness of China’s main winter and spring vegetable production regions

IntroductionChina is the world’s largest producer and consumer of vegetables, with all provinces, cities, and autonomous regions cultivating vegetables. The main production areas for winter and spring vegetables have higher accumulated temperatures, allowing for multiple planting seasons throughout the year. Therefore, this article examines the competitiveness of vegetable production in China’s main winter and spring vegetable producing areas from the perspective of the dynamic evolution of comparative advantages.MethodsDrawing on statistical data from 2000 to 2018 on the development of the vegetable industry in these key provinces, our analysis incorporates methods such as the Resource Endowment Coefficient, the Comprehensive Comparative Advantage Index, the entropy method, and systematic cluster analysis to explore the evolution of competitive advantages in vegetable production across various provinces and cities.Results and discussionThe findings reveal significant regional disparities in resource endowments and overall advantages in vegetable production during the winter and spring seasons. Notably, Chongqing, Hubei Province, and Shanghai exhibit a Resource Endowment Factor (EF) averaging above 1, indicating a relative abundance of production resources and a comparative advantage. Similarly, Hainan Province, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangdong Province, Fujian Province, Shanghai, and Zhejiang Province each demonstrate an average Comprehensive Advantage Index (AAI) exceeding 1, affirming their comprehensive comparative strengths. Overall, the competitiveness of vegetable production in these regions exhibits a fluctuating yet ascending trend, with notable disparities in competitive strengths across different areas. The ranking of annual average competitiveness scores in vegetable production is as follows: Shanghai &amp;gt; Zhejiang &amp;gt; Hubei &amp;gt; Hunan &amp;gt; Guangdong &amp;gt; Sichuan &amp;gt; Chongqing &amp;gt; Fujian &amp;gt; Guangxi &amp;gt; Jiangxi &amp;gt; Hainan &amp;gt; Yunnan. Based on these outcomes, the study proposes tailored strategic recommendations for provinces and cities according to their unique resource endowments and comparative advantages, aiming to enhance the sector’s productivity and competitive stance.

Impact of late winter sea surface temperature seesaw between equatorial central Pacific and Philippine Sea on early spring vegetation over the low-latitude highlands of China

In this study, the impact of late winter (January–February) sea surface temperature (SST) seesaw between equatorial central Pacific and Philippine Sea on early spring (March–April) vegetation interannual variation over the low-latitude highlands of China (CLLH) is investigated. The positive phase of late winter seesaw SST pattern, characterized by warmer (colder)-than-normal SSTs in the equatorial central Pacific (Philippine Sea), favors early spring CLLH vegetation growth. From the local perspective, the positive phase of late winter SST seesaw results in stronger (higher)-than-normal precipitation (surface air temperature) in the west (east) of the CLLH, these abnormal signals may be recorded by land surface and may persist to early spring, and this wetter(warmer)-than-normal land surface condition in the west (east) of the CLLH favors local vegetation growth. For the atmospheric circulation anomalies, the positive phase of late winter seesaw SST pattern contributes to an anomalous anticyclone over Philippine Sea in lower troposphere. On one hand, anomalous northerly winds on the eastern flank of this anomalous cyclone advect off-equatorial dry and cold air to the Maritime Continent and cause precipitation reduction there, consequently an anomalous anticyclone over the tropical north Indian Ocean in lower troposphere is excited via a Gill-type Rossby wave atmospheric response. This anomalous anticyclone leads to enhanced upward motion and increased precipitation in the west of the CLLH resultantly. On the other hand, southerly wind anomalies being the western flank of the anomalous anticyclone advect warm air to the east of the CLLH, result in increased surface air temperature there.

Matching Spring Phenology Indicators in Ground Observations and Remote-Sensing Metrics

Accurate monitoring of leaf phenology, from individual trees to entire ecosystems, is vital for understanding and modeling forest carbon and water cycles, as well as assessing climate change impact. However, the accuracy of many remote-sensing phenological products remains difficult to directly corroborate using ground-based monitoring, owing to variations in the observed indicators and the scales used. This limitation hampers the practical implementation of remote-sensing phenological metrics. In our study, the start of growing season (SOS) from 2016 to 2021 was estimated for the continental USA using Sentinel-2 images. The results were then matched with several ground-based spring vegetation phenology metrics obtained by the USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN). In this study, we focused on the relationships between the leaf-unfolding degree (LUD), the SOS, and the factors that drive these measures. Our results revealed that: (1) the ground-based leaves and increasing leaf size stages were significantly correlated with the SOS; (2) with the closest match being observed for a leaf spread of 13%; (2) the relationship between the SOS and LUD varied according to the species and ecoregion, and the pre-season cumulative radiation was found to be the main factor affecting the degree of matching between the ground observations and the metrics derived from the Sentinel-2 data. Our investigations provide a ground-based spring phenology metric that can be used to verify or evaluate remote-sensing spring phenology products and will help to improve the accuracy of remote-sensing phenology metrics.

Asymmetrical Impact of Daytime and Nighttime Warming on the Interannual Variation of Urban Spring Vegetation Phenology

AbstractUrban warming significantly advances spring vegetation phenology. However, the potential effect of daytime and nighttime warming on the start of the urban vegetation growing season (SOS) remains to be determined. Here, we characterized the interannual response of SOS to daytime and nighttime warming from 2003 to 2020 using remotely sensed phenological observations across cities in the Northern Hemisphere (&gt;30°N). We implemented the partial correlation analysis and the process‐based phenology model to quantify the effects of daytime and nighttime warming on vegetation. We found that either daytime or nighttime warming can promote an earlier urban spring SOS for Northern Hemisphere cities, while the phenological response varies across cities. Additionally, the response of SOS to daytime and nighttime urban warming (ST, expressed in advance days of SOS per °C warming) offset each other at an average rate of 0.08 days/°C per decade. Our results suggest that daytime warming predominates the temporal variation of SOS for high‐latitude cities, whereas nighttime warming is the primary driver of SOS change in low‐latitude cities. By revealing the effect and contributions of daytime and nighttime warming on the urban SOS, our results highlight the importance of considering daytime and nighttime temperatures separately in the response of vegetation phenology to urban thermal warming and climate variability.

Earlier Spring-Summer Phenology and Higher Photosynthetic Peak Altered the Seasonal Patterns of Vegetation Productivity in Alpine Ecosystems

Carbon uptake of vegetation is controlled by phenology and photosynthetic carbon uptake capacity. However, our knowledge of the seasonal responses of vegetation productivity to phenological and physiological changes in alpine ecosystems is still weak. In this study, we quantified the spatio-temporal variations of vegetation phenology and gross primary productivity (GPP) across the source region of the Yellow River (SRYR) by analyzing MODIS-derived vegetation phenology and GPP from 2001 to 2019, and explored how vegetation phenology and maximum carbon uptake capacity (GPPmax) affected seasonal GPP over the region. Our results showed that the SRYR experienced significantly advanced trends (p &lt; 0.05) for both start (SOS) and peak (POS) of the growing season from 2001 to 2019. Spring GPP (GPPspr) had a significantly increasing trend (p &lt; 0.01), and the earlier SOS had obvious positive effects on GPPspr. Summer GPP (GPPsum) was significantly and negatively correlated to POS (p &lt; 0.05). In addition, GPPmax had a significant and positive correlation with GPPsum and GPPann (p &lt; 0.01), respectively. It was found that an earlier spring-summer phenology and higher photosynthetic peak enhanced the photosynthetic efficiency of vegetation in spring and summer and altered the seasonal patterns of vegetation productivity in the SRYR under warming and wetting climates. This study indicated that not only spring and autumn phenology but also summer phenology and maximum carbon uptake capacity should be regarded as crucial indicators regulating the carbon uptake process in alpine ecosystems. This research provides important information about how changes in phenology affect vegetation productivity in alpine ecosystems under global climate warming.

Co-influence of the start of thermal growing season and precipitation on vegetation spring green-up on the Tibetan Plateau

The climate in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has undergone significant change in recent decades, mainly in thermal and water conditions, which plays a crucial role in phenological changes in vegetation spring phenology. However, how the start of the thermal growing season (SOS-T) and the start of the rainy season (SORS) as key climatic factors affect vegetation green-up remains unclear. Given that these factors characterize thermal and water conditions required for vegetation green-up, this study investigated changes in the SOS-T and SORS from 1961 to 2022, using observation-based datasets with long time series. We found that the SOS-T and SORS have advanced across the TP in 1961–2022 and have shown a spatial pattern of advancement in the east and delay in the west in 2000–2022. Further, the co-effect of temperature and precipitation change on the start of vegetation growing season (SOS-V) in 2000–2022 was observed. Averaged across TP, the SOS-V had an early onset of 1.3 d per decade during 2000–2022, corresponding to advanced SOS-T and SORS. Regionally, the SOS-V generally occurred nearly at the same time as the SOS-T in the high-altitude meadow region. A substantial delay in the SOS-V relative to the SOS-T was observed in the desert, shrub, grassland and forest regions and generally kept pace with the SORS. Furthermore, for 50% of the vegetated regions on the TP, inter-annual variation in the delay in the SOS-V relative to the SOS-T was dominated by precipitation change, which was profound in warm-climate regions. This study highlights the co-regulation of precipitation and temperature change in the SOS-V in different vegetation cover regions in the TP, offering a scientific foundation for comprehending the impact of climate change and prospects for vegetation phenology on the TP.

Decoupling of bird migration from the changing phenology of spring green-up

The green-up of vegetation in spring brings a pulse of food resources that many animals track during migration. However, green-up phenology is changing with climate change, posing an immense challenge for species that time their migrations to coincide with these resource pulses. We evaluated changes in green-up phenology from 2002 to 2021 in relation to the migrations of 150 Western-Hemisphere bird species using eBird citizen science data. We found that green-up phenology has changed within bird migration routes, and yet the migrations of most species align more closely with long-term averages of green-up than with current conditions. Changing green-up strongly influenced phenological mismatches, especially for longer-distance migrants. These results reveal that bird migration may have limited flexibility to adjust to changing vegetation phenology and emphasize the mounting challenge migratory animals face in following en route resources in a changing climate.

Proposal (36) to conserve the name Philonotidion seriatae Hinterlang 1992 for the species-poor, bryophyte-dominated, non-calcareous arctic-alpine spring vegetation of Europe

According to the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature, a younger name of a syntaxon may be conserved against its older name to improve the stability of the nomenclature and avoid misunderstandings in scientific communication. Here, we propose conserving the name Philonotidion seriataeHinterlang 1992 for arctic-alpine, bryophyte-dominated, non-calcareous spring vegetation against the names Cardamino-MontionBraun-Blanquet 1925, Cardamino-MontionBraun-Blanquet 1926, and MontionMaas 1959. In current vegetation classification systems, the two name-giving taxa of Cardamino-Montion no longer indicate the character of the vegetation corresponding to the nomenclatural type of this alliance and are instead characteristic of other currently distinguished alliances. Maintaining the oldest name Cardamino-Montion in strict adherence to the Code would be a source of errors. In the current vegetation classification systems, two similar but counter-intuitive names would then have to be used: Cardamino-Montion for arctic-alpine springs (although the name-giving taxa are more indicative of montane springs) and Epilobio nutantis-Montion for montane springs (although the name-giving taxon Epilobium nutans is indicative of arctic-alpine vegetation). Hence, there is a risk that the name Cardamino-Montion may gradually become ambiguous. We also propose conserving the name Philonotidion seriatae against Mniobryo-Epilobion hornemanniiNordhagen 1943 to prevent confusion in case of a merger of these alliances. (36) Philonotidion seriataeHinterlang 1992 Typus: Cratoneuro-PhilonotidetumGeissler 1976 (holotypus) (=) Cardamino-MontionBraun-Blanquet 1925 Typus: Bryetum schleicheriBraun-Blanquet 1925 [≡ Montio fontanae-Bryetum schleicheriBraun-Blanquet 1925 nom. corr. et invers. (alternative name)] (holotypus) (=) Cardamino-MontionBraun-Blanquet 1926 nom. superfl. [≡ Cardamino-MontionBraun-Blanquet 1925] (=) Mniobryo-Epilobion hornemanniiNordhagen 1943 Typus: Mniobryo-Epilobietum hornemanniiNordhagen 1943 (lectotypus selected by Zechmeister &amp; Mucina 1994) (=) MontionMaas 1959 nom. superfl. [≡ Cardamino-MontionBraun-Blanquet 1925] Taxonomic reference: Euro+Med PlantBase (http://europlusmed.org; accessed 4 January 2024)

The Advancement in Spring Vegetation Phenology in the Northern Hemisphere Will Reverse After 2060 Under Future Moderate Warming Scenarios

AbstractGlobal warming has largely advanced spring vegetation phenology, which has subsequently affected terrestrial carbon and water cycles. However, further shifts in vegetation phenology under future climate change remain unclear. We estimated the start of the growing season (SOS) by applying multiple extraction methods based on the NDVI3g data set, and then parameterized and evaluated 11 spring vegetation phenology models that included chilling, forcing, and the photoperiod. Based on scenario data from three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585) derived from eight climate models, future vegetation phenology was predicted using the phenology models. Results showed that all the phenology models performed better than the NULL model (mean of the SOS), with the performance of one‐phase models broadly matching that of two‐phase models, although the best models varied by vegetation type. The spatial pattern of simulated SOS was similar among the models, and it explained &gt;75% of the variation. Based on the mean predicted SOS, we found that spring vegetation phenology will continue to advance under strong warming conditions (SSP245 and SSP585), but that the trend of advance will reverse at around 2060 under the SSP126 scenario. The continued trend in SOS advance is likely related to rapid forcing fulfillment under stronger warming conditions. However, under moderate warming, chilling might be reduced and it might require longer to compensate for higher forcing, which ultimately would result in SOS delay. Our findings highlight that trends will likely change under different warming conditions, potentially causing widespread impact on species interaction, biodiversity, and ecosystem function.

Diminishing carryover benefits of earlier spring vegetation growth.

Spring vegetation growth can benefit summer growth by increasing foliage area and carbon sequestration potential, or impair it by consuming additional resources needed for sustaining subsequent growth. However, the prevalent driving mechanism and its temporal changes remain unknown. Using satellite observations and long-term atmospheric CO2 records, here we show a weakening trend of the linkage between spring and summer vegetation growth/productivity in the Northern Hemisphere during 1982-2021. This weakening is driven by warmer and more extreme hot weather that becomes unfavourable for peak-season growth, shifting peak plant functioning away from earlier periods. This is further exacerbated by seasonally growing ecosystem water stress due to reduced water supply and enhanced water demand. Our finding suggests that beneficial carryover effects of spring growth on summer growth are diminishing or even reversing, acting as an early warning sign of the ongoing shift of climatic effects from stimulating to suppressing plant photosynthesis during the early to peak seasons.

Winter wheat varieties responsiveness to soil and foliar fertilization

Common winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) makes up more than half of the cereals grown in the European Union and in Bulgaria. For two years (2021-2022) a field experiment was carried out at the experimental plain of the Department of Plant Production at the Technical University of Varna. Two varieties of winter common wheat were grown, a selection of the Dobrudja Agricultural Institute - General Toshevo. The trial pattern included a variant without fertilization (control - Fert 0), a variant with combined foliar feeding and soil fertilization (Fert SF) and a variant with soil fertilization alone (Fert S). The effect of the way of fertilizing on the productivity and quality of winter common wheat was investigated. Grain yield (GY) and its structural elements - spike length (LMS), number of grains per spike (NGS) and grain weight per spike (WGS), weight per 1000 grains (TGW) and hectoliter weight (TestW) were determined. Biochemical analysis of the wheat grain was performed and the content of protein (Pr), starch (St) and ash substances (Ash) was determined. Fertilization has a strong effect on productivity and grain quality in winter common wheat (both alone and in combination with growing conditions). The method of fertilization has an effect on the productivity of winter common wheat - feeding with foliar fertilizers during the spring vegetation (in the tillering and booting phases) increases grain yield as a result of increasing each of the productivity components. The method of fertilization does not have a significant impact on the quality indicators of winter common wheat, with the exception of the hectoliter mass, whose values are proven to be higher during soil nutrition. The two studied Bulgarian varieties, Sladuna and Nikodim, differ from each other in their efficiency in relation to the way of feeding in the spring.

The March 2023 UAS-based high-resolution Digital Surface Model and orthomosaic of the NE flank of Stromboli volcano (Sicily, Italy)

Stromboli is a volcanic island in a persistent state of activity, located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the northern coast of Sicily. During the night of 25 and 26 May 2022, a massive human-caused wildfire destroyed most of the vegetation cover on the NE flank of the island, just above the main village. On 12 August 2022, a particularly heavy rainfall event remobilized the loose volcaniclastic deposits that covered the burned volcanic flank, no longer protected by the vegetation. This event triggered several debris flows that were channeled by the roads and flooded several streets and buildings, causing severe damage to the village. In late-March 2023, just before the large spring vegetation growth, we conducted an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) photogrammetric campaign over a sector of the NE flank of Stromboli Island, to acquire data on an area massively affected by the wildfire first and by the debris flows later. Here we present and share with the scientific community and civil authorities the results of this UAS campaign, which consists of a 1.4 km2 wide 10 cm-resolution Digital Surface Model (DSM) and 1.6 cm-resolution orthomosaic. These data clearly show the dramatic consequences of the 2022 tragic events at Stromboli. We also produced an elevation difference map by comparing the 2023 DSM here generated and the 2012 LiDAR DEM to provide a first overview of the thickness of the deposits that were removed from the Stromboli NE flank.

Response of spring vegetation phenology to soil freeze–thaw state in the Northern Hemisphere from 2016 to 2022

IntroductionThe research on spring vegetation phenology is crucial to the investigation of terrestrial ecosystems and climate change. Changes in the soil freeze–thaw (F/T) lead to variations in soil moisture, directly impacting vegetation activity. The start of the season (SOS) is the initial and important phenophase for vegetation activity, and thus, this highlights the need to understand the response of spring vegetation phenology to soil F/T state.MethodsThis study first comprehensively investigates the consistency of the SOS and three soil F/T state indexes, i.e., the start day of the F/T state (SFT), the end day of the F/T state (EFT), and the length of days of the F/T state (LFT) via satellite data source.ResultsResults reveal that: (1) All 3 F/T state indexes impact SOS values, and the EFT outperforms others. The correlation coefficients between EFT and SOS gain around 3.07%. (2) A temporal overlap between SOS and EFT occurs in May, suggesting that parts of the plants begin active growth before average temperatures reach above 0°. (3) Small differences of SOS and EFT exist between savannas, and croplands, with an average difference of less than 10 days; in contrast, the largest differences occur in broadleaf evergreen forests. The results can fill the knowledge gap on the response of spring vegetation phenology to soil F/T state, and help to investigate the reasons for the nonlinear dynamics of SOS under global warming.

Developmental Characteristics of &lt;i&gt;Sorbus&lt;/i&gt; (Rosaceae) Species under Introduction in the Republic of Karelia

Abstract—For twelve years, 14 species of the genus Sorbus L. are growing of in the Botanical Garden of Petrozavodsk State University (South Karelia). They are characterized by a variety of ornamental features – the leaf shape and dissection, flowers, autumn coloring of leaves and fruits. The studied species have different geographical origin: Sorbus americana Marshall and S. decora (Sarg.) C.K. Schneid. are native to North America, S. aria (L.) Grantz, S. mougeotii Soy.-Will. et Godr., S. sudetica (Tausch) Dluff, Nees et Schauer, S. intermedia (Ehrh.) Pers., S. bristoliensis Wilmott, S. × thuringiaca (Ilse ex Nyman) Schonach. – to Europe, S. eburnea McAll., S. koehneana C.K. Schneid., S. amurensis Koehne., S. cashmiriana Hedl., S. sambucifolia (Cham. et Schltdl.) M. Roem – to East Asia, and S. caucasica Zinserl. – to Central Asia. The studied plants have been grown from seeds received in 2010–2015 from the botanical gardens of Russia and abroad. 14 species flowered and fruited for the first time in 2021–2022. Annual shoots of all studied species fully mature by the end of the season. Botanical gardens located at different latitudes provide with data on the cultivated Sorbus species, so it is possible to compare the duration of ontogenetic stages and the dates of the main phenological phases, and to draw preliminary conclusions on the influence of climatic factors on the ontogenetic and seasonal development of plants. The dates of the beginning of the spring vegetation from the middle taiga to Ufa and Stavropol vary by three weeks, and the end of shoot growth – by two months. Along latitudinal gradient from Stavropol to Apatity, the first flowering date varies from the middle of May to the end of July. In the northern regions, the growing season of most of the studied species is shorter than in the southern. A species-specific sequence of seasonal development was revealed: early onset of phenophases in S. sambucifolia, and the latest in S. caucasica, S. bristoliensis, S. eburnea, S. × thuringiaca. According to the first results of a comprehensive assessment of adaptation and viability, all studied Sorbus species are promising as urban greening plants and suitable for further cultivation in southern Karelia.