Vulnerability of Crop Pollination Ecosystem Services to Climate …
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lentils, as well as 13% of family Solanaceae that includes potato, tomato, eggplant,
and peppers are at risk of extinction.
Crop diversity is an aspect of biodiversity provides a number of benefits within
agricultural production systems. It contributes directly to global food security,
ecosystem function and human well-being. International organizations are working
across the world to preserve crop diversity, using means such as seed banks. More
than 70% of all crop wild relative species worldwide are in urgent need of further
attention through more collection and conservation to improve their representation
in genebanks.
4.2 Effect of Climate Change on Crop Flowering Time
Climate change not only affects the natural species diversity and distribution but also
extends its influences to other phenological events of crops [59, 60]. The timing of
phenological events such as flowering is often related to environmental variables.
Changing climate is therefore expected to affect the timing of flowering in many
plant species [61, 62].
Flowering time refers to the time after vegetation growth in which a plant switches
to reproductive growth through the appearance of the first floral bud. It is a critical
phenological stage for subsequent reproductive phase. The timing of flowering is
regulated by environmental factors and by genetic factors. It is a key parameter for
both crop adaptation to environmental conditions and yield potential. The optimum
time of flowering is the most important for agricultural production, especially for
crops yield and seeds quality.
The flowering time of cultivated crops within a season is largely determined by
responses to temperature, photoperiod, atmospheric CO 2 [63, 64], water availability
and other ecological cues; all represent climate changes typically associated maturation with global warming [62, 65]. In recent decades, earlier flowering has been
observed and documented in crop plants [66–70], as well as in natural communities
[61]. Almost, 78% of a total of 542 plant species in 21 European countries showed
earlier flowering, with an average of 2.5 d per decade [68]. In Germany, the early
phenological events of agricultural and horticultural crops were recorded between
1951 and 2004 with an average of 1.1–1.3 d per decade [66].
Earlier flowering and the relative duration of the pre and post-flowering phases
(vegetative and reproductive phases, respectively) are critical determinant of crop
yield and seeds quality [71]. In general, warmer temperatures shorten the developmental stages of crops and, eventually lead to lower yields of a given plant species.
In this respect, the expected changing in crop growing cycle reduction (number of
days) were reported in different Mediterranean countries in response to an increase
of 2 °C (2031–2060) respect to present scenario (1960–1990) (Table 2) [72].
In general, plant flowering tends to occur earlier than it did a decade ago, with the
greatest phenological changes observed in early spring [61, 68]. The flowering times
(FT) in 461 plant species showed a trend of earlier flowering with climate warming
229
lentils, as well as 13% of family Solanaceae that includes potato, tomato, eggplant,
and peppers are at risk of extinction.
Crop diversity is an aspect of biodiversity provides a number of benefits within
agricultural production systems. It contributes directly to global food security,
ecosystem function and human well-being. International organizations are working
across the world to preserve crop diversity, using means such as seed banks. More
than 70% of all crop wild relative species worldwide are in urgent need of further
attention through more collection and conservation to improve their representation
in genebanks.
4.2 Effect of Climate Change on Crop Flowering Time
Climate change not only affects the natural species diversity and distribution but also
extends its influences to other phenological events of crops [59, 60]. The timing of
phenological events such as flowering is often related to environmental variables.
Changing climate is therefore expected to affect the timing of flowering in many
plant species [61, 62].
Flowering time refers to the time after vegetation growth in which a plant switches
to reproductive growth through the appearance of the first floral bud. It is a critical
phenological stage for subsequent reproductive phase. The timing of flowering is
regulated by environmental factors and by genetic factors. It is a key parameter for
both crop adaptation to environmental conditions and yield potential. The optimum
time of flowering is the most important for agricultural production, especially for
crops yield and seeds quality.
The flowering time of cultivated crops within a season is largely determined by
responses to temperature, photoperiod, atmospheric CO 2 [63, 64], water availability
and other ecological cues; all represent climate changes typically associated maturation with global warming [62, 65]. In recent decades, earlier flowering has been
observed and documented in crop plants [66–70], as well as in natural communities
[61]. Almost, 78% of a total of 542 plant species in 21 European countries showed
earlier flowering, with an average of 2.5 d per decade [68]. In Germany, the early
phenological events of agricultural and horticultural crops were recorded between
1951 and 2004 with an average of 1.1–1.3 d per decade [66].
Earlier flowering and the relative duration of the pre and post-flowering phases
(vegetative and reproductive phases, respectively) are critical determinant of crop
yield and seeds quality [71]. In general, warmer temperatures shorten the developmental stages of crops and, eventually lead to lower yields of a given plant species.
In this respect, the expected changing in crop growing cycle reduction (number of
days) were reported in different Mediterranean countries in response to an increase
of 2 °C (2031–2060) respect to present scenario (1960–1990) (Table 2) [72].
In general, plant flowering tends to occur earlier than it did a decade ago, with the
greatest phenological changes observed in early spring [61, 68]. The flowering times
(FT) in 461 plant species showed a trend of earlier flowering with climate warming