Plant Phenology - Quttinirpaaq

Climate change, especially changes in spring temperatures and the timing of snow melt, can affect the phenology of Arctic plants. Shifts in plant phenology may alter plant-pollinator interactions and nutrient availability for herbivores, if these animals do not respond similarly to climatic changes. The phenology of two tundra plant species, Mountain Avens (Dryas integrifolia) and Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia), are monitored in Quttinirpaaq National Park near Tanquary Fiord following an International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) field protocol. Approximately every three days, 25 plants (or plant patches depending on the size of the plant) of each species that were randomly selected in the first year of monitoring and are replaced as needed (e.g., plants that die or are destroyed by trampling), are counted for their number of buds, flowers, and flowers that have reached maturity (i.e., when all petals have dropped or wilted). The monitoring begins after the opening of camp (typically early June) and goes until all flowers have reached the last phenophase. The peak flower days for each plant (based on the flower counts) are averaged to determine the annual average peak flower day, which is used to assess whether the flowering phenology of Mountain Avens and Purple Saxifrage is changing over time. Annual average peak flower days were not calculated for years where the peak flower was likely missed (due to late start date) or for years where 2 or more monitoring days were missed around the peak flower. The monitoring protocol was updated in 2016 to aid observers in distinguishing between the phenophases and ensure that all observers have the same understanding of the plant/plant patch boundaries throughout the monitoring season.