Rhododendron Phenology — Annapurna Conservation Area
Objective: Document flowering phenology of 8 rhododendron species and compare against 3-year baseline.
Methodology: Tagged 5 individuals per species per elevation band. Weekly visits for 10 weeks.
Findings: R. arboreum at 1,800m flowered 16 days earlier than 3-year average (p=0.03).
Learnings: Multi-year commitment is essential — single-season data cannot isolate climate signal.
