Unraveling Phenological Dynamics: Exploring Early Springs, Late Autumns, and Climate Drivers Across Different Vegetation Types in Northeast China

Understanding plant phenology dynamics is essential for ecosystem health monitoring and climate change impact assessment. This study generated 4-day, 500 m land surface phenology (LSP) in Northeast China (NEC) from 2001 to 2021 using interpolated and Savitzky–Golay filtered kernel normalized differe...

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Main Authors: Jiayu Liu, Haifeng Zou, Yinghui Zhao, Xiaochun Wang, Zhen Zhen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/11/1853
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author Jiayu Liu
Haifeng Zou
Yinghui Zhao
Xiaochun Wang
Zhen Zhen
author_facet Jiayu Liu
Haifeng Zou
Yinghui Zhao
Xiaochun Wang
Zhen Zhen
author_sort Jiayu Liu
collection DOAJ
description Understanding plant phenology dynamics is essential for ecosystem health monitoring and climate change impact assessment. This study generated 4-day, 500 m land surface phenology (LSP) in Northeast China (NEC) from 2001 to 2021 using interpolated and Savitzky–Golay filtered kernel normalized difference vegetation index (kNDVI) derived from MODIS. Spatial patterns, trends, and climate responses of phenology were analyzed across ecoregions and vegetation. Marked spatial heterogeneity was noted: forests showed the earliest start of season (SOS, ~125<sup>th</sup> day) and longest growing season (LOS, ~130 days), while shrublands had the latest SOS (~150<sup>th</sup> day) and shortest LOS (~96 days). Grasslands exhibited strong east–west gradients in SOS and EOS. From 2001 to 2021, SOS of natural vegetations in NEC advanced by 0.23 d/a, EOS delayed by 0.12 d/a, and LOS extended by 0.38 d/a. Coniferous forests, especially evergreen needle-leaved forests, exhibited opposite trends due to cold-resistant traits and an earlier EOS to avoid leaf cell freezing. Temperature was the main driver of SOS, with spring and winter temperatures influencing 48.8% and 24.2% of the NEC region, respectively. Precipitation mainly affected EOS, especially in grasslands. Drought strongly influences SOS, while precipitation affects EOS. This study integrates high-resolution phenology utilizing the kNDVI with various seasonal climate drivers, offering novel insights into vegetation-specific and ecoregion-based phenological dynamics in the context of climate change.
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spelling doaj-art-ecef40957e1d4a4e9e325ba71b2b90732025-08-20T03:11:22ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-05-011711185310.3390/rs17111853Unraveling Phenological Dynamics: Exploring Early Springs, Late Autumns, and Climate Drivers Across Different Vegetation Types in Northeast ChinaJiayu Liu0Haifeng Zou1Yinghui Zhao2Xiaochun Wang3Zhen Zhen4Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaKey Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaKey Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaKey Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Ecology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaKey Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management-Ministry of Education, School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, ChinaUnderstanding plant phenology dynamics is essential for ecosystem health monitoring and climate change impact assessment. This study generated 4-day, 500 m land surface phenology (LSP) in Northeast China (NEC) from 2001 to 2021 using interpolated and Savitzky–Golay filtered kernel normalized difference vegetation index (kNDVI) derived from MODIS. Spatial patterns, trends, and climate responses of phenology were analyzed across ecoregions and vegetation. Marked spatial heterogeneity was noted: forests showed the earliest start of season (SOS, ~125<sup>th</sup> day) and longest growing season (LOS, ~130 days), while shrublands had the latest SOS (~150<sup>th</sup> day) and shortest LOS (~96 days). Grasslands exhibited strong east–west gradients in SOS and EOS. From 2001 to 2021, SOS of natural vegetations in NEC advanced by 0.23 d/a, EOS delayed by 0.12 d/a, and LOS extended by 0.38 d/a. Coniferous forests, especially evergreen needle-leaved forests, exhibited opposite trends due to cold-resistant traits and an earlier EOS to avoid leaf cell freezing. Temperature was the main driver of SOS, with spring and winter temperatures influencing 48.8% and 24.2% of the NEC region, respectively. Precipitation mainly affected EOS, especially in grasslands. Drought strongly influences SOS, while precipitation affects EOS. This study integrates high-resolution phenology utilizing the kNDVI with various seasonal climate drivers, offering novel insights into vegetation-specific and ecoregion-based phenological dynamics in the context of climate change.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/11/1853land surface phenology (LSP)kNDVIphenologyclimate changeNortheast China
spellingShingle Jiayu Liu
Haifeng Zou
Yinghui Zhao
Xiaochun Wang
Zhen Zhen
Unraveling Phenological Dynamics: Exploring Early Springs, Late Autumns, and Climate Drivers Across Different Vegetation Types in Northeast China
Remote Sensing
land surface phenology (LSP)
kNDVI
phenology
climate change
Northeast China
title Unraveling Phenological Dynamics: Exploring Early Springs, Late Autumns, and Climate Drivers Across Different Vegetation Types in Northeast China
title_full Unraveling Phenological Dynamics: Exploring Early Springs, Late Autumns, and Climate Drivers Across Different Vegetation Types in Northeast China
title_fullStr Unraveling Phenological Dynamics: Exploring Early Springs, Late Autumns, and Climate Drivers Across Different Vegetation Types in Northeast China
title_full_unstemmed Unraveling Phenological Dynamics: Exploring Early Springs, Late Autumns, and Climate Drivers Across Different Vegetation Types in Northeast China
title_short Unraveling Phenological Dynamics: Exploring Early Springs, Late Autumns, and Climate Drivers Across Different Vegetation Types in Northeast China
title_sort unraveling phenological dynamics exploring early springs late autumns and climate drivers across different vegetation types in northeast china
topic land surface phenology (LSP)
kNDVI
phenology
climate change
Northeast China
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/11/1853
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AT yinghuizhao unravelingphenologicaldynamicsexploringearlyspringslateautumnsandclimatedriversacrossdifferentvegetationtypesinnortheastchina
AT xiaochunwang unravelingphenologicaldynamicsexploringearlyspringslateautumnsandclimatedriversacrossdifferentvegetationtypesinnortheastchina
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