Response of Plant Phenology on Microclimate Change Depending on Land Use Intensity in Seoul, Central Korea

Abstract

The difference in the leaf unfolding date of Mongolian oak obtained through MODIS image analysis between the urban center and the outskirts of Seoul was found to be seven days. The difference in the flowering date of cherry obtained through field observations was also found to be seven days between the urban center and the outskirts. The frequency of the abnormal shoot of Korean red pine differed by 71% between the urban center and the outskirts, and the length growth differed by 8.6 cm. There was a statistically significant correlation between the leaf unfolding date of Mongolian oak, the flowering date of the cherry, and the spatial difference in the frequency and length of the abnormal shoot of the Korean red pine. The temperature difference between the urban center and the outskirts of Seoul based on the mean temperature over the past 30 years was about 5 °C. The spatial difference in plant phenology showed a statistically significant negative relationship with the spatial difference in temperature. On the other hand, the spatial difference in temperature showed a statistically significant positive relationship with the spatial difference in the urbanization rate. These results are interpreted as the result of excessive land use during urbanization causing the heat island phenomenon, and the resulting temperature difference is reflected in the phenology of plants. These results are evidence that urbanization, which uses excessive land and energy, has a very significant impact on climate change. In addition, it is also evidence that sustainable land use could be an important means to achieve climate change adaptation and further solve climate change problems.