Impact of Climate Change on Plant Phenology and Distribution in Pakistan

Abstract

Global warming and climatic change and the resultant precipitation patterns change are having a tremendous impact on the ecosystems of the world. There is a strong alteration in flowering time and species distribution in Pakistan or, at least, in flowering time. The earlier flowering and shift in the distribution of plant species are among the changes that can disrupt the ecosystem and agriculture and threaten the biodiversity and food security. The research consisted of interdisciplinary climate modelling and research in terms of plant phenology in combination with field research with different regions of Pakistan, such as Punjab and Sindh, and the north. Habitat suitability models were also used to find out how alterations to temperature and precipitation volume influence the habitat suitability of endemic plant species. Crop phenology trends coupled with the vegetation indices were also reviewed to have a clearer appreciation of the effects of climate change on agricultural activities, as well as the entire ecology. The results reveal that there is a considerable variations or modifications in the plant phenology that comprise more flowering and crop maturation due to the rise of temperatures and the variations in the precipitation. Habitat suitability modelling indicates that there will be a decrease and expansion in plant species range and some plant species will gain altitude and will lose habitat. The two effects were reported and presented in the study of vegetation changes. Part of the country like Punjab had some benefits of rainfall rises and part like Baluchistan and Sindh had reduced vegetation in the country in result of draughts and unreliable rain. The conclusion is that the issue regarding the effects of climate change on plant phenology and distribution patterns in Pakistan requires urgent attention. To address the loss of biodiversity and agricultural resilience, it is essential to have effective conservation plans that include protecting, restoring, and implementing climate-smart practices in the agricultural sector. Adaptive management and continuous monitoring are the most important tools in protecting the ecosystems, as well as food security under climate change