Phenology And Its Response To Climatic Factors Of Seasonal Colorful Plants In Macao

In recent years,more and more attention has been paid to the impact of climate on plant phenology due to global warming.Plant phenology is a regular phenomenon formed by long term adaptation of plants to climate change.Macao,as an economically developed city with a special geographical location,the research on plant phenology and climate change in Macao has important scientific significance for the construction of local and surrounding landscape and the formulation of environmental and ecological protection policies.This study selected three plant community sites,where were separately located in the Guia Hill,Taipa Grande and Ka Ho.Using phenological data collected from 2012 to 2018,by collecting the data,drawing the phenograms,using correlation analysis method to study the plant seasonal phenology and its relationship with various climatic factors,and to discuss the relationship between climatic factors and 12 species plants of new leaf peak period and 11 species plants of leaf discoloration peak period.The main conclusions are as follows:(1)The obvious seasonal changes of plants in Macao were mainly divided into the growth of new leaves in spring and the discoloration of old leaves in autumn.The interannual pattern of spring leaves changed little,because most of the local plants have new leaves all the year.However,the interannual pattern of autumn leaves changed greatly,which was manifested as less leaf discoloration in spring and summer,more in autumn and winter.(2)The new leaf peak period of Microcos paniculata and Litsea rotundifolia var.oblongifolia were significantly(P<0.05)different from most other plants,and the leaf discoloration peak period of Sterculia lanceolata,Ilex asprella and Microcos paniculata were significantly(P<0.05)different from most other plants.(3)Temperature is the most important climatic factor affecting the new leaf peak period and leaf discoloration peak period,but the changes of temperature in different seasons have different effects on them.There were 10 species of plants whose new leaf peak period showed the seasonal rule of advancing with the increase of autumn temperature and delaying with the increase of spring temperature.The leaf discoloration peak period of 11 species of plants showed the seasonal rule of advancing with the temperature increase of autumn and winter,and delaying with the temperature increaseing in spring and summer.(4)Precipitation,sunshine duration and relative humidity also the main climatic factors affecting the leaf discoloration peak period and new leaf peak period.Comparatively speaking,the response of leaf discoloration peak period to these climatic factors was stronger than that of new leaf peak period,and showed a certain seasonal regularity.(5)The species with more obvious leaf color changes in spring were Cinnamomum burmanni,Litsea rotundifolia var.oblongifolia,Desmos chinensis,Schima superba etc.They were suitable for spring landscape plants.Some plants such as Sapium sebiferum,Sapium discolor and Toxicodendron succedaneum were whole discoloration in the autumn,can formed red and yellow patches,they were suitable for local parks in autumn plant landscape.The purpose of this study was to find out the phenological rules of the plants by studying the seasonal colorful plants in Macao,so as to provide scientific basis for the plant landscape on seasonal changes in the local parks or the adjacent island cities,and to provide reference for tourists.