title: Vegetation phenology gradients along the west and east coasts of Greenland from 2001 to 2015.
abstract: The objective of this paper is to characterize the spatiotemporal variations of vegetation phenology along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients in Greenland, and to examine local and regional climatic drivers. Time-series from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were analyzed to obtain various phenological metrics for the period 2001-2015. MODIS-derived land surface temperatures were corrected for the sampling biases caused by cloud cover. Results indicate significant differences between West and East Greenland, in terms of both observed phenology during the study period, as well as the climatic response. The date of the start of season (SOS) was significantly earlier (24 days), length of season longer (25 days), and time-integrated NDVI higher in West Greenland. The sea ice concentration during May was found to have a significant effect on the date of the SOS only in West Greenland, with the strongest linkage detected in mid-western parts of Greenland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350, Copenhagen K, Denmark. moka@ign.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karami
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Birger Ulf
authors.initials: BU
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Westergaard-Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Asiaq, Greenland Survey, Qatserisut 8, 3900, Nuuk, Greenland.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels Martin
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Center for Permafrost (CENPERM), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, 1350, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elberling
mesh_terms: D001110:Arctic Regions; D002980:Climate; D064308:Ecological Parameter Monitoring; D005843:Geography; D006116:Greenland; D046448:Ice Cover; D063245:Plant Development; D011157:Population Dynamics; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature; D065929:Tundra
keywords: Arctic climate; Greenland phenology; Land surface temperature; Sea ice; Tundra vegetation