Monitoring of plant phenological traits in a mixed Mediterranean forest species based on colour vegetation indices

Phenology reflect the influences of climate change on individual plant biodiversity. Meteorological factors (temperature, precipitation, sunshine period) are reported to have major influence for determining variation of time phenophases through changes in biological activities. Functional traits are morphological, physiological, and phenological features that show the plant functional response to a specific environmental condition. Traits are therefore connected to physiological functions and mechanisms that allow species to face the climatic changes. Phenological traits can help explaining variation in plant growth strategies as it is closely associated with carbon gain and nutrient conservation. The beginning of leaf emergence and senescence can maximize plant survival and productivity, as the duration of stages are closely related to resource acquisition and distribution. Intraspecific trait variation, complementarity, and environmental stress are investigated at several hierarchical levels with the final goal of identify the mechanisms through which individuals and species interact and coexist for the use of resources. Therefore, it is fundamental to understanding how species modulate their phenological traits.