LoriAnne Barnett Education Coordinator, USA-NPN Phoenix Phenology Trail & Phenology Observations: Ideas for Community Participation

LoriAnne BarnettEducation Coordinator, USA-NPN

Phoenix Phenology Trail & Phenology Observations:

Ideas for Community Participation

Photo credit: L. Barnett

Goals for today:Learn about Phenology and Nature’s Notebook

Learn how to develop a long-term program for the Phoenix

Phenology Trail

Generate and share ideas for activities

Learn where to find resources




Phoenix Phenology Trail

Photo credit: P. Warren

©Wikimedia Commons


Take-Aways:Observing is experiencing

Climate and lifePhenology as a lensPhoenix Phenology Trail and YOU

Photo credit: E. Alderson


WeatherDay-to-day changes in the

Earth’s atmosphere.

Climate and life

Climate is what you expect…

…weather is what you get.-Mark Twain

ClimateLong-term average

of dailyweather in a given

area.It is about…

time

Climate and life

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/phzmweb/

NEW!!

Annual average MINIMUM temperatures – 30 years

Climate and life

Sunset Climate Zones for the WestAlso account for:

• Latitude• Hills and Valleys• Elevation• Ocean influence (humidity)• Continental air• Precipitation • Microclimates

www.sunset.com/garden/climate-zones/

Climate and life

Ecology

Distribution

Abundance

Abiotic

Biotic

Climate and life

BIOMES –World’s Major Communities Classified by major vegetation, adaptations to environment

Aquatic

Grassland

Desert

Forest

Tundra

Optimum conditions=NICHE

http://alliance.la.asu.edu/maps/AZ_biomes_web.pdf

Life Zones

Biodiversity

Climate and life

Why is climate important to ecology?

Ecology

1. Plants and animals reproduce under optimum conditions

2. Changing conditions alters species tolerance

OBSERVE Species RESPONSE:• Arrival, birth, feeding• Shifting range boundaries, new biome?• Changing morphology• Extirpation or Extinction

http://www.ipcc.ch/

Climate and life

©Walt Disney Productions

Climate and life

Reproduction DevelopmentActivity

ANIMAL > Mammal, Bird, Snake

Flowers FruitsLeaves

PLANT

Climate and life

ANIMAL LIFE CYCLE

©W

ikip

edia

ADULTLive Birth

YOUNG ADULTS

Mating

Feeding Active Individuals

Climate and life

PLANT LIFE CYCLE

ww

w.s

amso

n.ke

an.e

du

www.questgarden.com

SEED/EMBRYO

GERMINATION

GREEN GROWTH

BEAN FLOWER

RIPE FRUIT

SET SEED

LEAVES

Requires Optimum Conditions

Climate and life

Why is climate important to life-cycles?• Development relies upon internal,

environmental, and climatic cues. • Cues move the species through the

next cycle.• Changes have implications for

individual and species survival.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons




©Wikimedia Commons


Take-Aways:Observing is experiencingClimate and life

Phenology as a lensPhoenix Phenology Trail and YOU



Phenology as a lens

PHENOLOGYA big picture concept…That ties everything together.

Phenology as a lens

Just to be clear…

phRenology – a pseudoscience focused on

measurements of the human skull and size of

the brain

phOnology – a branch of linguistics concerned with the

organization of sounds in

language

Phenology as a lens

Who observes phenology?• Scientists

• Gardeners/Agriculturists• Land managers

• Educators, youth, adults• You

Photo credit: C. Enquist


Photo credit: S. Schaffer

A NATIONAL NETWORK OF INTEGRATED PHENOLOGICAL

OBSERVATIONS ACROSS SPACE AND TIME.

Primary goal• Observe phenological events• Understand how plants, animals &

landscapes respond to climate change• Create a standardized dataset for use

in multiple types of research.

Mission• Make phenology data, models and

related information available to scientists, resource managers and the public.

• Encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to observe and record phenology.

USA National Phenology Network


• A Multi-taxa, National-scale• Plant and animal phenology

observation program• Citizen science• Core protocols for research

Nature’s Notebookfor scientists, naturalists,

volunteers, land managers, park

rangers, and YOU!

USA National Phenology Network

654 plant species and 243 animal species = ~900 total

2954 observers reporting (9204 total) making ~457,000 observations1

1As of 11-22-13

10, 945 sites

Phenology as a lens

Thor

eau

2012. Primack, R. B, Miller-Rushing, A.J

7 day average

61 years

2-3 week average

1999. Bradley, N.L., Leopold, C.A., Ross, J., Huffacker, W.

Jeffe

rson

Pow

ell

http://vimeo.com/17612530

Northeastern US2013 Spring conditions

Northeastern US2013 Fall conditions

Phenology as a lens

Red maple (Acer rubrum)collected via Nature’s Notebook

Phenology as a lens

Pima Extension Office data

Phenology as a lens

Reproduction Development MethodActivity

ANIMAL > Mammal, Bird, Snake

• Active individuals

• Feeding

• Male combat• Mating

• Young individuals

• Dead individuals

• Individuals at a feeding station

Flowers FruitsLeaves

• Buds• Leaves• Colored leaves

• Buds• Flowers• Pollen

• Ripe fruits

PLANT PHENOPHASES

Phenology as a lens

95% or more

101 – 1,000

3 to 10

✓

Phenology as a lens

You MUST have your account completely set up online first to use the mobile apps!

Phenology as a lens

The source for this data was the USGS EROS Center (http://phenology.cr.usgs.gov/)

Photo credit: Wikicommons

Phenology as a lensCloned plants project: why we care

www.usanpn.org/nn/cloned-plants

T. Ault, M. Schwartz, R. Zurita-Milla

Day of Year



©Wikimedia Commons


Take-Aways:Observing is experiencingClimate and lifePhenology as a lens

Phoenix Phenology Trail and YOU






Using phenology as a theme in your outreach activities will promote science and climate literacy.

You are a PHENOLOGIST!




How do we teach science and climate literacy

in a way people can

understand and relate to

and self-select to continue

to participate on their own…

A series of phenology activities to collectively achieve a set of outcomes.

OUTCOME = a LONG-TERM set of observations for your garden.

Develop a “phenology program”



Phenology

English

Plant & People Connections Local Ecology

& Biodiversity

Habitats

MathSocial Studies

Climate & WeatherArt

Ecosystems


Youth/School Observation

Activities

Lecture Series on Seasonal

Change

Weekly Phenology

Hikes

Data & Phenology Calendars

Scavenger hunts

Observation activities

Macro-invertebrate

searchBird & nature walks

Journaling

Migration patterns

Bird & nature walks

Local foods

Birds

Blooms

Butterflies

Bird & nature walks

Ethno-botany

Ecosystems


Youth/School Observation

Activities

Lecture Series on Seasonal

Change

Weekly Phenology

Hikes

Data & Phenology Calendars

Scavenger hunts

Observation activities

Macro-invertebrate

searchBird & nature walks

Journaling

Migration patterns

Bird & nature walks

Local foods

Birds

Blooms

Butterflies

Bird & nature walks

Ethno-botany

Theme:

Phenology


When do white oak trees leaf out in the spring and, subsequently, lose their leaves in the

fall?

NASA SatelliteAerial & On-the-

ground Photography

Schoolyard habitats

Nature Centers

Refuge Biologists

Volunteer Groups


When are mesquite beans

ready for harvest?

Volunteer Groups

Local Partners


Short term (within a year) Engage participants in

collecting observations, year round, on mesquite trees

Develop activities for youth and adults at sites to encourage observations of mesquite trees

Medium term (within 3-4 years) Share data with participants,

develop a phenology calendar for the mesquite tree

Encourage participants to recruit others to collect observations

Long term (5+ years) Make general

recommendations for safe harvest times

GO

ALS

and

OU

TCO

MES


Example: Tucson Phenology Trail• Biosphere 2• Tucson Audubon Mason Center• UA Campus Arboretum• Sam Hughes Neighborhood• Pima Extension Offices (2)• Rincon Heights Neighborhood• SRER• Borton Elementary School• Tortolita Middle School• Tumamoc Hill* • Tucson Botanical Garden*• Arizona Sonora Desert Museum*

Total of 75 Miles, start to finish3-10 species tagged at each

*Starting soon

Why is phenologyimportant to local trail programs?

Docents can • tell the story of the our natural

world through time• develop programs and

discovery kits for visitors• use phenology as a theme for

other topics• promote discovery,

observation, and science inquiry



Help with or establish a few sites

Create an account for Nature’s Notebook and collect regular

observations

Recruit at least one other person to collect data

You will be recognized for your efforts!

Challenge!


QUESTIONS?


Site: Tohono Chul Park

Question: What is the seasonal resource availability for different species of butterflies?

Hypothesis: If there is an abundance of host plants, there is a high probability of finding butterfly species

Testing/Methodology:• Observe the number of hackberry emperor butterflies weekly throughout

the year• Observe the phenology of the hackberries and the number of

flowers/hackberries• Enter hackberry and butterfly data into Nature’s Notebook• Create a host plant trial for butterfly walks• Train others to collect and enter data• Share data using Nature’s Notebook visualization tool, and determine

phenological calendar for both species

Group Activity I - Questions


What plant/animals species might be highlighted at the Maricopa Extension Office

for a phenology walk?



What is a science question that could be developed using those selected species?



What resources might you need to answer the science question proposed?

Group Activity II – Program Design


Help us design a PHENOLOGY PROGRAM .

• What is your science question?• What outcomes do you want to achieve?• What are the activities you can do?• What are the resources you already have?• Who would be potential partners?

Long-term observations help the USA-NPN and can help local programs!


Goals for today:Learn about Phenology and Nature’s Notebook

Learn how to develop a long-term program for the Phoenix

Phenology Trail

Generate and share ideas for activities

Learn where to find resources

Thank you!

LoriAnne [email protected]

You’re invited to connect with USA-NPN…

• Sign up for a phenology e-newsletter (quarterly)

• Join the Nature’s Notebook community and become an observer: Contribute to science while having fun!

• Discover new tools and resources for work or play

LoriAnne [email protected]

@loriannebarnett

mailto:[email protected]



Documents

LoriAnne Barnett Education Coordinator, USA-NPN Phoenix Phenology Trail & Phenology Observations: Ideas for Community Participation