title: Annual rhythms that underlie phenology: biological time-keeping meets environmental change.
abstract: Seasonal recurrence of biological processes (phenology) and its relationship to environmental change is recognized as being of key scientific and public concern, but its current study largely overlooks the extent to which phenology is based on biological time-keeping mechanisms. We highlight the relevance of physiological and neurobiological regulation for organisms' responsiveness to environmental conditions. Focusing on avian and mammalian examples, we describe circannual rhythmicity of reproduction, migration and hibernation, and address responses of animals to photic and thermal conditions. Climate change and urbanization are used as urgent examples of anthropogenic influences that put biological timing systems under pressure. We furthermore propose that consideration of Homo sapiens as principally a 'seasonal animal' can inspire new perspectives for understanding medical and psychological problems.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK. barbara.helm@glasgow.ac.uk
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Helm
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ben-Shlomo
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sheriff
authors.forename: Roelof A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hut
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dominoni
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D025041:Animal Migration / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology*; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology; D057231:Climate Change; D006605:Hibernation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010507:Periodicity; D017440:Photoperiod; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012621:Seasons; D014507:Urbanization
keywords: circannual; global change; hibernation; migration; photoperiod; urbanization