Poster

         Systematics

Reproductive Phenology of Species of Hackelia from Western North America

Presenting Author
James Cohen
Description
Phenology, the study of reoccurring, natural events in biological lifecycles and the impact of these events by external stimuli, is becoming an increasingly important field of research as Earth’s climate progressively changes. Plants’ ability to respond and adapt to their changing environment has significant implications for future ecological challenges, particularly for species with small geographic ranges. While many studies on plant phenology explore species in similar types of ecosystems, studies that focus on the phenology of multiple, related species are less common. To examine multiple congeners from western North America, phenological data was compiled from over 200 herbarium specimens encompassing 10 species of Hackelia Opiz. (Boraginaceae). Along with date, location, elevation, and reproductive phenological stage, historical temperature and precipitation data were gathered. For each species, linear regression models were employed to examine the patterns of phenology as they relate to temperature, precipitation, and elevation. Several trends were observed, including a positive correlation between temperature and later flowering in multiple species, suggesting that increased temperatures do not result in earlier flowering. The inclusion of levels of precipitation produced varied results, which may relate to distinct biomes or microclimates, for each studied species. Overall, these data support the idea that the phenological stages of several Hackelia species in western North America may not be impacted as much by the changing climate as other species investigate in other geographic regions and ecosystems.