Climate change is a significant area of study for ecologists. Of particular interest are the relationships between organisms and their environments. This is due to the substantial influence that climate often has on a species’ living environment, behaviors and it’s ability to coexist with other species in different environments. This research will evaluate the impact that climate change, specifically rainfall have on a plant’s fitness by analyzing data of plant phenology. Phenology is the study of the timing of the biological events in plants and animals. This includes flowering, leafing, hibernation, reproduction, and migration. Using phenology data, you can see the timing of such biological events in relation to changes in season and climate. The USA National Phenology Network available for public access, will be analyzed for documentation of various phenophases including initial growth, leaves and budding in multiple locations. Analyzing the phenophases, a pattern will then be established for the impact of rainfall has on the process of initial growth and budding for three annual plants within the United States over a span of ten years. This data will show trends of growth rate for certain rain levels and in different locations.
