The Impacts of Global Warming on Appalachian Wildflower Phenologies
Wigginton RD. 2009. The Impacts of Global Warming on Appalachian Wildflower Phenologies. Western Kentucky University
Public and private interest in global warming has prompted exploration of the impacts this phenomenon may impart on ecosystem functions. Flowering phenology has been one of the areas many scientists believe is particularly susceptible to the impacts of anthropogenic warming. Over three weekends in spring of 2008, the vernal herb community was surveyed at five sites within the Great Smoky Mountains regions of the southern Appalachian Mountains. The intent was to capture the naturally occurring elevational gradient and determine if the temperature cue for blooming was the same for all co-flowering species in the study. This information would allow for conjecture on the impacts of climate change on co-flowering communities. Initial findings were inconclusive because low sample size prevented statistical analysis.
- Type
- Academic
- Authors
- Wigginton, Rachel
- Date of Issue
- 2009-05
- Publisher
- Western Kentucky University
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- Anthropogenic, Climate, Ecosystem, elevational gradients, flower, Global Warming, Great Smoky Mountains, GRSM-00812, Phenology, Plant Studies, Southern Appalachians, thesis, wildflower