**10. Climate change and phenology**

The obvious delay of defoliation and advance of blooming along with the appearance of butterfly in autumn and disappearance of many species of plants, insects and animals in many regions unequivocally indicate the climate change and warming, and triggered the scientific research and investigation in this respect [17]. In a context of global climate change being a reality, a continuous process that needs to be taken seriously, and a subject which continues to be a topic of hot debate at global conventions, world summits and international conferences and symposia [1]. Indeed, plant phenology is strongly controlled by climate and has consequently become one of the most reliable bio-indicators of ongoing climate change [18]. Thus, aberrations and anomalies in phenology are repercussions of climatic ones and hence are unequivocal and undeniable evidence of the climate change fact and the fact of their occurring irregularly. This may help to assess and predict ongoing and future significant impacts of climate changes on plants and the whole ecosystems. Effectively, it is largely noticed the disappearance of many vulnerable and hyper-sensible species because of the climatic stress, the unpredicted change of weather, and inability of these species neither to withstand adverse conditions nor to adapt. However if erraticity of weather and climate persist, plants would adapt and a new ecotypes will appear. Indeed, the first response to climate changes is through changes in plant phenololgy and phenophase with their timing and durations and this would have a potential impact on the available resources [1].

Accordingly, long phonological records generate authentic data to study the effect of climate change on phenology and the whole ecosystem, environment and

**39**

unsecure.

*Climate as the Major Factor Controlling Phenology DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95893*

profound effect on the flowering time of plants [1].

**11. Climate change phonological impacts and food security**

life and climate or the entire surrounding environments.

across hard climatic periods [17, 19].

mainly the climate.

changes on the food security.

climatic factors in specific seasons [20].

nature future. This may includ parameters such as advance or delay in the appearance of leaf, leaf fall, and timing of opening of flowers, and blooming which can be recorded right at the field site for a long period to form a long time series valid and reliable for the scientific analysis and deductions. For instance, increase in level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and consequent global warming may have a

Accordingly, it was highly recommended to work actively in terms of implementation of the climate change scientific findings in the field of the field of agriculture to both preserve and increase crops. Namely, it was proposed to adjust and reconsider the agricultural calendar according to the recent climate changes to avoid damages related to climate hazards. Indeed, planting dates should be judiciously set in such a way that fragile phenophases (e.g. germination, fruiting) do not come

The climate changes are commonly known as frustrating and alarming when first talked about in the first years of the past century and when they first came into existence among scientific community. All scientist talked about inundation by the sea level rise, drought, desertification, natural resources depletion as climate change aftermaths in a very dramatic way as it is the certain end of life on this planet. In fact, climate changes are constantly with clear and remarkable impacts mainly on living beings and foremost plants due their sessile life style directly exposed to climate influences. Furthermore, this created an intimate relation between plants

Thus, plant's life and physiology is utterly dependent to its environment and

As the plant is the first source of food for all other living beings, the food security is therefore subject to climate changes impacts. Indeed, since all phenol-phases are interrelated and related to climate seasonality and variation, the fructification as the final one is inevitably impacted by the climate changes and consequently crop quantity and quality. This uncovers and emphasizes the direct impact of climate

Food is basically from cereal crops whose growth and development are dependent to the day length and growing degree days (GDDs) and they are responsive to

The global warming hinders the crop growth and development and mainly causes a shift in phenological development of crops and affects their economic yield [20]. This is due to the fact that the rise of temperature and warm winters are indeed against vernalization which, as previously posited, mandatory for flowering and fructification. This implies that there would be only vegetative life and neither reproduction nor production for plants. Hence, the impact of climate changes is decreasing production in favor of phonological and only vegetative plants.

As climate warming is global and unavoidable phenomenon, the unique solution

for food security in this context consists of an adaptive strategy and agronomic management through breeding of climate-adapted genotypes and increasing genetic biodiversity [20]. This is to say that we should make use the field of genetic engineering to develop local species, or more properly and appropriately use more adapted species brought from already temperate regions. This last alternative is more recommended to avoid transgenic organisms and crops whose use as food is

*Climate as the Major Factor Controlling Phenology DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.95893*

nature future. This may includ parameters such as advance or delay in the appearance of leaf, leaf fall, and timing of opening of flowers, and blooming which can be recorded right at the field site for a long period to form a long time series valid and reliable for the scientific analysis and deductions. For instance, increase in level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and consequent global warming may have a profound effect on the flowering time of plants [1].

Accordingly, it was highly recommended to work actively in terms of implementation of the climate change scientific findings in the field of the field of agriculture to both preserve and increase crops. Namely, it was proposed to adjust and reconsider the agricultural calendar according to the recent climate changes to avoid damages related to climate hazards. Indeed, planting dates should be judiciously set in such a way that fragile phenophases (e.g. germination, fruiting) do not come across hard climatic periods [17, 19].

## **11. Climate change phonological impacts and food security**

The climate changes are commonly known as frustrating and alarming when first talked about in the first years of the past century and when they first came into existence among scientific community. All scientist talked about inundation by the sea level rise, drought, desertification, natural resources depletion as climate change aftermaths in a very dramatic way as it is the certain end of life on this planet. In fact, climate changes are constantly with clear and remarkable impacts mainly on living beings and foremost plants due their sessile life style directly exposed to climate influences. Furthermore, this created an intimate relation between plants life and climate or the entire surrounding environments.

Thus, plant's life and physiology is utterly dependent to its environment and mainly the climate.

As the plant is the first source of food for all other living beings, the food security is therefore subject to climate changes impacts. Indeed, since all phenol-phases are interrelated and related to climate seasonality and variation, the fructification as the final one is inevitably impacted by the climate changes and consequently crop quantity and quality. This uncovers and emphasizes the direct impact of climate changes on the food security.

Food is basically from cereal crops whose growth and development are dependent to the day length and growing degree days (GDDs) and they are responsive to climatic factors in specific seasons [20].

The global warming hinders the crop growth and development and mainly causes a shift in phenological development of crops and affects their economic yield [20]. This is due to the fact that the rise of temperature and warm winters are indeed against vernalization which, as previously posited, mandatory for flowering and fructification. This implies that there would be only vegetative life and neither reproduction nor production for plants. Hence, the impact of climate changes is decreasing production in favor of phonological and only vegetative plants.

As climate warming is global and unavoidable phenomenon, the unique solution for food security in this context consists of an adaptive strategy and agronomic management through breeding of climate-adapted genotypes and increasing genetic biodiversity [20]. This is to say that we should make use the field of genetic engineering to develop local species, or more properly and appropriately use more adapted species brought from already temperate regions. This last alternative is more recommended to avoid transgenic organisms and crops whose use as food is unsecure.
