Vegetation phenology studies the relation between climate and the timing of biological events such as budburst, leaf-out, and plant flowering. Phenology varies by species and is influenced by many factors, such as soil temperature, air temperature, solar illumination, day length, and soil moisture, all of which can vary depending on location and time.

Land surface phenology is the study of the spatio-temporal patterns in the vegetated land surface as observed by satellite sensors. Land surface phenology provides an important approach to change detection in terrestrial ecosystems