Weather?driven demography and population dynamics of an endemic perennial plant during a 34?year period

Increased anthropogenic influence on the environment has accentuated need to assess how climate and other environmental factors drive vital rates population dynamics of different types organisms. However, allow distinction between effects multiple correlated variables, capture rare extreme climatic conditions, studies extending over decades are often necessary. In this study, we used an individual-based dataset collected in three populations Pulsatilla vulgaris subsp. gotlandica during 34 years, explore variation precipitation temperature dynamics. Most observed conspicuous flowering among years was associated with differences previous summer autumn a higher incidence following summers high low temperatures. contrast, variables had no significant individual growth or survival. Although weather-driven only moderate absolute rate, simulated persistent changes average resulted considerable reductions sizes compared current conditions. Analyses carried out subsets data consisting 5 10 yielded results that strongly deviated from those based full dataset. Synthesis. The study illustrate importance long-term demographic monitoring identify key affecting driving long-lived