Plant development models

Abstract

In this chapter we provide a brief overview of plant phenology modeling, focusing on mechanistic phenological models. After a brief history of plant phenology modeling, we present the different models which have been described in the literature so far and highlight the main differences between them, i.e. their degree of complexity and the different types of response function to temperature they use. We also discuss the different approaches used to build and parameterize such models. Finally, we provide a few examples of applications mechanistic plant phenological models have been successfully used for, such as frost hardiness modeling, tree growth modeling, tree species distribution modeling and temperature reconstruction of the last millennium.