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Climate change can drive shifts in organism phenology; the timing of biological events. Advancement of spring warming has resulted in many plants and animals initiating spring growth or emergence earlier, although in some species phenology may be delayed. Because the magnitude and direction of response to spring warming is species-specific, phenologies of interacting species that were previously synchronized may become uncoupled, resulting in a phenological mismatch. The ecological implications for these mismatches are largely unknown. We monitored spring leaf emergence in white oak (Quercus alba) at field sites in northern Illinois, manipulated leaf emergence of white oak saplings in a greenhouse, and measured leaf defense traits. Plants with earlier phenology had tougher leaves and greater levels of defensive phenolic compounds; however these differences attenuated later in the season. These data suggest that phenological mismatches in which oaks advance more rapidly than their herbivores may result in reduced host plant quality for insects and less herbivore damage to oak foliage.
[Abstract (DOC)]
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