PEP725: Celebrating 15 Years of this Phenological Research Infrastructure

Phenology—the study of the timing of seasonal activities of animals and plants—provides a vital window into ecological responses to climate change (IPCC 2007). Since its inception 15 years ago, PEP725, the Pan-European Phenological Database, has developed into an essential resource for phenological research across Europe.

With support from ZAMG / now Geosphere Austria, the Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Research, and EUMETNET, PEP725 has built an open-access database that now boasts over 13 million phenological records across many countries of Europe - all classified with a single scale. These records, which trace back to 1775, offer a unified and comprehensive view of phenological observations across Europe. The project continues to overcome challenges posed by disparate data sources and formats, enabling harmonized, large-scale studies and fostering international collaboration.

Throughout its evolution, PEP725 has faced and overcome many challenges, from the integration of different datasets to the creation of a focal point and collaboration platform for European phenological research. PEP725 enables large-scale studies and fostering international cooperation. Since its’s beginning user engagement has steadily increased, with registrations and data downloads reaching new highs, and the database has supported an impressive number of peer-reviewed publications, demonstrating its scientific impact.

In this presentation, we will present the current status of PEP725, including milestones achieved, lessons learnt and challenges encountered along the way. Moreover, we want to express our gratitude to all our indispensable project partners who have accompanied us along the way. We are also pleased to provide an insight into the development of our new website, which aims to improve usability and widen access to this invaluable resource.