The event "National Phenological Day", organized by the website of the Russian Geographical Society website “Okruzhayushchiy Mir” on October 15, 2023, updated the record for the number of participants and the number of observations. 262 collective and individual phenologists representing 45 regions of Russia sent their data on seasonal changes in the condition of widespread tree species.
The October observations were attended by the Republics of Bashkortostan, Karelia, Komi, Crimea, Mari El, Mordovia, Udmurtia, Chuvashia; as well as Khanty-Mansi and Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Areas; Altai, Transbaikal, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk and Primorye Territories; Arkhangelsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kemerovo, Kostroma, Kurgan, Leningrad, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Penza, Rostov, Ryazan, Samara, Saratov, Sakhalin, Sverdlovsk, Tver, Tomsk, Tula, Tyumen and Chelyabinsk Regions; federal cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg.
In total, the users of the website “Okruzhayushchiy Mir” uploaded more than 420 observations in just one day, of which 403 passed moderation. Most often, as in September, phenologists observed silver birch and rowan.
Of the phenological phenomena, mass leaf fall for Central Russia was noted more often than others, and partial leaf coloring and leaf color changes for the south of European Russia and the Far East.
After a prolonged warm period in September, which was especially well felt by residents of the European part of Russia, in October the cold quickly took its toll. Traditionally, the second half of October in the Central Federal District is characterized by phenologists as a period of late autumn. At this time, foliage is preserved only on single birches and maples, as well as on oaks, whose leaf fall occurs later.
However, judging by the observations of the participants of the “Okruzhayushchiy Mir” project, the golden autumn period is still continuing in the central part of the country, during which the phase of mass foliage coloring is observed in most deciduous trees. At the same time, in the north of European Russia and Siberia, the end of leaf fall, preceding the period of late autumn, was more often noted.
“I am pleased to note the gradual increase in support for our event by Russian civil scientists. 57 observations were uploaded during National Phenological Day in June, but already 302 were uploaded in September. October has become an absolute record-breaking month with more than 400 observations! Many thanks to all the participants! By observing the course of autumn on the territory of Russia, you help to collect valuable scientific data,” said the phenologist from the website “Okruzhayushchiy Mir” Dmitry Vladimirov.