Abstract

ACOSTA-HERNANDEZ, Andrea Cecilia; VIVAR-VIVAR, Eduardo Daniel  and  POMPA-GARCIA, Marín. Terrestrial observations of multispecific tree phenology: A way to better understand phenophase transition dates under drought stress. Polibotánica [online]. 2026, n.61, pp.235-257.  Epub May 18, 2026. ISSN 1405-2768.  https://doi.org/10.18387/polibotanica.61.14.

Forest ecosystems are modifying their phenology as a consequence of climate variability. Mixed forests have been considered strategic to cope with climate change, so knowing their phenological processes contributes to generate useful information to anticipate changes in species composition in the face of global warming. In this study, we describe the phenophases of five coexisting species in a mixed forest in a highly diverse but drought-susceptible region of northern Mexico on a monthly basis over the course of a year. We found several phenophases among conifers and broadleaved trees, including resting, leaf fall, bud development, foliage elongation, and formation and growth of reproductive organs, with their temporal differences among them. The species Pinus engelmannii had the earliest onset of its phenophases, while Arbutus bicolor had a late onset and shorter phenophases than the other species studied. The longest duration of the different phenophases was observed in Juniperus deppeana, while Arbutus bicolor had shorter periods. Although more complementary climate data are required, as well as shortening the periodicity of sampling, our results are interpreted as responses to physiological mechanisms presented by the species as strategies to respond to the environment. Given the limitation of time and operational labor, the results are not entirely conclusive, however they constitute an essential basis for further monitoring and to enhance the understanding of phenology in mixed forests in the face of predicted drought scenarios.

Keywords : Phenology; mixed forests; Pinus; Quercus; Juniperus; Arbutus.

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