• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.337-350
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• 2009

The phenological change of plants is an indication of local and regional climate change. An increase in temperature due to global warming is manifest in the change of phytophenological events. In this study, trends in the plant phenology and its correlation with air temperature in South Korea were examined using observational data for 18 phenological phases. The spring phenological phases, such as sprouting and flowering, occurred earlier (from 0.7 to 2.7 days per 10-year) during 1945 ${\sim}$2007. while the autumn phases, such as full autumn tinting, moved later (from 3.7 to 4.2 days per 10-year) during 1989 ${\sim}$2007. The correlation between the plant phenology in spring with the air temperature from February to March is relatively high. The warming in the early spring (February March) by $1^{\circ}C$. causes an advance in the spring plant phenology of 3.8 days. The plant phenology in autumn also correlates with the average temperature in October. The autumn plant phenology for a $1^{\circ}C$ increase in October temperature occurs about 3.1 days later.