| dc.contributor.author | Dunnell, Kelsey Liann | |
| dc.description.abstract | Climate change has been associated with shifts in phenological events which
could be disrupting evolved species relationships. The current first flowering times of
plants were compared to historical data in the Red River Valley. This gave insight as to
what effects climate change is currently having on species in this area. By merging climate
variable data from the same time period it was possible to correlate first flowering dates
with climate variables for that specific year. Variation in plant flowering times was
analyzed over the century to better understand potential ecological consequences of
climate change. First flowering times were found to have shifted since previously
recorded. The lengthening growing season in the Red River Valley as a result of climate
change has resulted in significant shifts in the timing of plant life cycles. The second study
used an experimental approach to test the effects of warming on plant species in the
tallgrass prairie. Measuring phenological and species composition responses to the
temperature changes showed evidence that increasing air temperatures are leading to
earlier flowering. There was also a significant increase in species richness. The results of
both studies conclude that climate change has the potential to impact the plant
community by shifting phenological responses in the tallgrass prairie in the Northern
Great Plains. | en_US |
| dc.publisher | North Dakota State University | en_US |
| dc.rights | NDSU policy 190.6.2 | en_US |
| dc.title | Plant Phenological Responses to Climate Change in the Northern Great Plains | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-03-22T20:26:43Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-03-22T20:26:43Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2010 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10365/33751 | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Plant phenology -- Great Plains. | en_US |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Climatic changes -- Great Plains. | en_US |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Plants -- Effect of temperature on -- Great Plains. | en_US |
| dc.rights.uri | https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf | en_US |
| ndsu.degree | Master of Science (MS) | en_US |
| ndsu.college | Science and Mathematics | en_US |
| ndsu.department | Biological Sciences | en_US |
| ndsu.program | Biological Sciences | en_US |
| ndsu.advisor | Travers, Steven | |
