DOI: 10.5061/dryad.v4cv6
title: Data from: Frost sensitivity of leaves and flowers of subalpine plants is related to tissue type and phenology

description: Harsh abiotic conditions–such as low temperatures that lead to spring and
 summer frost events in high-elevation and high-latitude ecosystems–can
 have strong negative consequences for plant growth, survival, and
 reproduction. Despite the predicted increase in episodic frost events
 under continued climate change in some ecosystems, our general
 understanding of the factors associated with frost sensitivity of
 reproductive and vegetative plant structures in natural plant communities
 is limited. The timing of growth and reproduction may be an important
 strategy by which plants can avoid frost. In this study, we experimentally
 investigated the frost sensitivity of eight long-lived perennial
 herbaceous plant species from a subalpine ecosystem in the Colorado Rocky
 Mountains, USA. The study taxa represent four congeneric pairs from four
 flowering plants families; within each pair is a species with early and
 late growth and reproductive phenology. Thus, we control for evolutionary
 history–and therefore additional traits shared through common ancestry– to
 some degree, while examining the influence of phenology on frost
 sensitivity. Specifically, we compared frost sensitivity of vegetative and
 reproductive structures for each species, and asked whether frost
 sensitivity was similar between species within congeneric pairs, or
 instead was related to phenology (i.e. differences in the timing of growth
 and reproduction). For most species (6 of 8), flowers were more sensitive
 to frost than leaves. Within most congeneric pairs (3 of 4), the leaves of
 species with later phenology were significantly more sensitive to frost
 than the leaves of species with earlier phenology. For flowers, the
 later-flowering species were more sensitive in two of the four congeneric
 pairs. Synthesis: This study contributes to our general understanding of
 factors related to interspecific differences in plant sensitivity to
 episodic frost events of naturally occurring species. The increased frost
 sensitivity of reproductive structures compared to vegetative structures
 may be a widespread pattern for long-lived perennial plants. Furthermore,
 we find evidence for a trade-off between phenology and frost sensitivity,
 whereby species with later phenology exhibit higher frost sensitivity
 compared to species with earlier phenology. These results have
 implications for plant populations, species interactions, and ecological
 communities.
description: Experimental frost
 damage data for eight subalpine plant speciesThis file contains data
 on the frost damage of eight subalpine plant species from the Rocky
 Mountains of Colorado (USA). These frost damage data can be used to
 calculate frost sensitivity for each species. Frost damage of plant tissue
 was determined after specimen were exposed to experimental temperature
 treatments. In the file, there is a column "temp_treatment_C"
 which is the target temperature for each treatment (in Celsius); there is
 another column "temp_observed_C", which is the actual
 temperature reached during the temperature treatment. Frost damage was
 scored as binary: damage = 1; no damage = 0. Frost trial number and frost
 trial start date refer to the specific series of temperature treatments.
 Collection of plant specimen and experimental procedures were conducted at
 the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gothic, Colorado,
 USA.CaraDonna&Bain_frost_sensitivity_data_2015.csv