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Cranberry flowering times and climate change in southern Massachusetts

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Abstract

Plants in wild and agricultural settings are being affected by the warmer temperatures associated with climate change. Here we examine the degree to which the iconic New England cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon, is exhibiting signs of altered flowering phenology. Using contemporary records from commercial cranberry bogs in southeastern Massachusetts in the United States, we found that cranberry plants are responsive to temperature. Flowering is approximately 2 days earlier for each 1 °C increase in May temperature. We also investigated the relationship between cranberry flowering and flight dates of the bog copper, Lycaena epixanthe—a butterfly dependent upon cranberry plants in its larval stage. Cranberry flowering and bog copper emergence were found to be changing disproportionately over time, suggesting a potential ecological mismatch. The pattern of advanced cranberry flowering over time coupled with increased temperature has implications not only for the relationship between cranberry plants and their insect associates but also for agricultural crops in general and for the commercial cranberry industry.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Frank Caruso and Mr. Domingo Fernandes for generously sharing their records of cranberry flowering. We also thank Caitlin McDonough MacKenzie and two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Elizabeth R. Ellwood, Caroline A. Polgar & Richard B. Primack

  2. Interaction, 249 Jerusalem Rd, Cohasset, MA, 20251137, USA

    Susan R. Playfair

Authors
  1. Elizabeth R. Ellwood
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  2. Susan R. Playfair
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  3. Caroline A. Polgar
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  4. Richard B. Primack
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Correspondence to Elizabeth R. Ellwood.

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Ellwood, E.R., Playfair, S.R., Polgar, C.A. et al. Cranberry flowering times and climate change in southern Massachusetts. Int J Biometeorol 58, 1693–1697 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0719-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0719-y

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