Phylogenetic relatedness and plant traits influenced flowering phenology change patterns in natural habitats in China (2003–2021)

Our research found that the first flowering phenology of large percent of the observed plants changed significantly from 2003 to 2021, showing spatial and interspecific differences across observation sites. Our research also demonstrated the importance of plant phylogeny on interspecific differences in phenological changes, plant traits such as growth form, plant height, and flowering time influence flowering phenology to a certain extent. These findings will help us to better understand phenological responses to climate change on a national scale, and help us better predict the response of various plants to climate change in the future.