Response of ex-situ conservation plant flowering phenology to climate change in Wuhan

In the current study, we analyzed the flowering phenology of five ex-situ conserved plants, including Sinojackia dolichocarpa C.J.Qi, Sinowilsonia henryi Hemsl., Sinocalycanthus chinensis Cheng et S.Y.Chang, Stewartia sinensis Rehd. et Wils., and Gleditsia vestita Chun et How ex B. G. Li, in Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, using meteorological data and interannual variation from 2008 to 2016. Results showed that: (1) Flowering phenology of Sinojackia dolichocarpa occurred 1.25 d earlier per year; Stewartia sinensis flowering time was delayed by 1.35 d per year; and flowering phenology of Gleditsia vestita was delayed by 1.22 d per year. (2) Flowering length for Sinowilsonia henryi increased 1.72 d per year; flowering length for Sinocalycanthus chinensis decreased 1.62 d per year; and flowering length for Stewartia sinensis increased 0.32 d per year. (3) Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to indicate the relationships among flower phenological periods and related meteorological factors. Results showed that annual precipitation, annual average relative humidity, effective accumulated temperature of more than 10 degrees, and effective accumulated temperature of more than 10 degrees before flowering were correlated with flower phenological, but the main meteorological factors differed from plant to plant.