PS 22-28 - Keeping track of vegetation phenology across Mexico using digital cameras

Background/Question/Methods

Monitoring vegetation phenology using repeated photography with digital cameras (PhenoCams) has become a widespread tool to study changes in terrestrial ecosystem processes. However, most of the distribution of PhenoCams is restricted to the United States, Canada, and Europe. There is an overreaching need to represent plant phenology across diverse ecoregions from other countries in lower latitudes. Here, we present the first set of observations of PhenoCams from multiple sites across Mexico. The study sites where the cameras were installed span from coastal to inland ecosystems, such as mangroves, agrosystems, shrublands, and dry forests. Our image analyses were performed according to the PhenoCam Network's standard procedures using R.

Results/Conclusions

The first records of PhenoCams in Mexico started in 2009 with continuous records among different sites, although some of the sites have been active only during the growing season. It is noteworthy that most of the PhenoCams have been installed in MexFlux sites (i.e., equipped with eddy covariance towers), also some of them are registered in Ameriflux, which extends the opportunity to study different biosphere-atmosphere interactions. The records have also been used to study the dynamics of selected species. Challenges to existing infrastructure are: 1) none of the cameras used can be connected to the internet, 2) continuous functioning of cameras depend on batteries, and probably the main caveat 3) the “fixed white-balance” problem. However, we believe that the current infrastructure provides valuable information that can interest the scientific community. Because of the great diversity of ecosystems and climates in Mexico, it is essential to strengthen and leverage existing environmental monitoring, such as the MexFlux network, with complementary infrastructure, such as PhenoCams, and perform synthesis studies across North America for better comprehension of vegetation phenology and the effects of global environmental change on ecosystem processes.