The effects of climate change on the phenology of grasshoppers in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado

The effects of climate change on the phenology of grasshoppers in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado

http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/entomology/hopper/orthoptera_home.htm


1. Life-zones 1. Life-zones

2. Climate change & its effects2. Climate change & its effects

3. Using grasshoppers to understand3. Using grasshoppers to understand climate changeclimate change

4. Intro to GDDs4. Intro to GDDs


Life-zones = Biogeographic areas associated with plants and animals that share similar adaptations to deal with similar climatic factors


There are 5 Life-zones in Colorado and they tend to be correlated with elevation



PLAINS - occur below 5,000 ft

FOOTHILLS - 5,000 ft - 6,000 ft

MONTANE - 6,000ft -9,000 ft

SUBALPINE - 9,000 – 11,200 ft

ALPINE - < 11,2000 ft



As one moves up in elevation:

Average temperatures and season length decline and precipitation increases




SUBALPINE - 9,000 – 11,200 ft

ALPINE - < 11,2000 ft


Common Plants: Prairie grasses, yucca, cotton woods and willows

Birds: Burrowing owls, Swainson’s and Ferruginous hawk, Lark bunting

Mammals: Prairie dogs, jack rabbits, coyote, fox ponghorn


Common Plants: Buffalo grass and other plains grasses, ponderosa pine

Mammals: Mule deer, elk, jack rabbits


Common Plants: Ponderosa pine, Lodgepole pine, Colorado columbine,heartleaf arnica, mountain yarrow

Birds: Grace’s Warbler, Flammulated Owl, Western Bluebird, Western Tanager

Mammals: Colorado chipmunk, Abert’s squirrel, elk, deer, mountain lion, black bear

SUBALPINE - 9,000 – 11,200 ft

Common Plants: Englemann spruce, sub-alpine fir, harebell, strawberry, spearleaf stonecrop

Birds: Boreal owl, Hammond’s flycatcher, Mountain Chickadee

Mammals: Porcupine, black bear, elk, Canada lynx (recently introduced)

ALPINE - < 11,2000 ft

Common Plants: Moss campion, alpine avens, other grasses, sedges, and dwarf plants

Birds: White-tailed ptarmigan, Rosy-finch, golden eagle, common raven

Mammals: Big horn sheep, yellow bellied marmot, pika





4. Intro to GDDs4. Intro to GDDs


Climate Change

Over the last century, the atmosphere has increased by 0.74 + 0.18 C0

1.30 + 0.32 F0

(IPCC 2007)

13 of the warmest years on record during 1998-2009

Climate Change


1.30 + 0.32 F0

(IPCC 2007)

In plants and insects temperatures affects

i. Phenology (via rates of development)

ii. Distributions

Climate Change


1.30 + 0.32 F0

(IPCC 2007)

Past species records are important for determining how species may now be responding to warming temperatures

In plants and insects temperatures affects

i. Phenology (via rates of development)

ii. Distributions

The effects of climate change on the grasshoppers of the southern Rocky Mountains

Dr. Gordon Alexander

Faculty member in CU’s

EEB department (1939 - 1966)

Department chair of EEB for 20 years

http://alexander.colorado.edu

Dr. Gordon Alexander

Faculty member in CU’s

EEB department (1939 - 1966)

Department chair of EEB for 20 years

Interested in: The biology of organisms living along altitudinal ranges

http://alexander.colorado.edu

1958-1960 Gordon Alexander Grasshopper Survey NSF supported project Goals: document species, distributions & phenology of local grasshoppers

1958-1960 - Surveyed grasshoppers at 4 main sites (weekly basis, March-Sept)


- Chautauqua Mesa to weather station C1 (Foothills to subalpine gradient)

- 5,300 ft (1,615 m) to 13,000 ft (3,960 m)

BOULDER C1 B1 A1C1 B1 A1

Chautauqua Chautauqua MesaMesa

N

W

Colorado

NEED TO REMOVESOME SITES


BOULDER C1 B1 A1C1 B1 A1

Chautauqua Chautauqua MesaMesa

N

W

Colorado

NEED TO REMOVESOME SITES

- All survey sites are near weather stations (Boulder, A1, B1, C1)

Chautauqua Mesa - 1752m (5750ft) Foothills

Gerald M. Fauske

Station A1 - 2195m (7200 ft) lower Montane

Gerald M. Fauske

Station B1 - 2591m (8500ft) Upper Montane

Gerald M. Fauske

Station C1 - 3048m (10000 ft) Subalpine

Gerald M. Fauske

1958-1960 Gordon Alexander Grasshopper Survey

Alexander kept extensive fieldnotes for all weekly collectingevents at each site

- Species present- developmental stages

Grasshoppers have 5 developmental stages before they become adults (developmental stage)

The Gordon Alexander grasshopper collection & survey (1959-1960)

plus

- A new resurvey project (2006-2008)

- Climate station data

can help us understand how climate has changed & how grasshoppers have responded





4. Intro to Phenology & GDDs4. Intro to Phenology & GDDs


Phenology: The timing of annual biological events in plants and animals


For plants: first flush of leaves in spring, the first flowering

or fruiting dates, or when leaves turn in the fall


For plants: first flush of leaves in spring, the first flowering

or fruiting dates, or when leaves turn in the fall

For animals: breaking of hibernation or diapause, egg-laying dates, the

timing of migration or when different life stages are reached


Why should climate change effect the phenology of organisms?


Why should climate change effect the phenology of organisms?

Changes in temperature are often cues that determine the timing of life-history

Insects and plants development highly dependent on temperatures

Dev

elop

men

tal r

ate

(tim

e)

Temperature (0C)

Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants)

Base temp (120)D

evel

opm

enta

l rat

e (t

ime)

Temperature (0C)

No development


Base temp = the temperature above which growth & development can proceed

Base temp (120) Upper threshold temp (380)D

evel

opm

enta

l rat

e (t

ime)

Temperature (0C)

No developmentNo development


Base temp = the temperature above which growth & development can proceed

Upper Threshold = the temperature above which growth & development ceases

Rate of growth & development generally increase between the base temp and upper threshold


evel

opm

enta

l rat

e (t

ime)

Temperature (0C)


Growing Degree Days (GGD): The average number of degrees above the base temperature occurring over a 24 hr period. A measure of the heat energy available for development.



evel

opm

enta

l rat

e (t

ime)

Temperature (0C)




How many GDD if daily high is 240 and is 120C (base 120)?


evel

opm

enta

l rat

e (t

ime)

Temperature (0C)




How many GDD if daily high is 240 and is 120C (base 120)?

2- 12 = 6 GDD = 24 + 12

Cumulative Growing Degree Days: Number of degree-days accumulated during a specified time interval




0

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0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Ordinal date

Cu

mu

lati

ve G

DD

s



0

250

500

750

1000

1250

1500

1750

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0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Ordinal date

Cu

mu

lati

ve G

DD

s March 1 August 31

Grasshopper Growing Season



0

250

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1250

1500

1750

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0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360

Ordinal date

Cu

mu

lati

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DD

s

Grasshopper sp 2 (1000 GDDs)

Grasshopper sp 1 (250 GDDs)

March 1 August 31

Different species require a different number of GDDs to become adults

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growing-degree_day

For today’s lab you will

1.Determine whether regional warming is detectable over the last 50+ years and whether it has been similar across the foothills to subalpine gradient in N Colorado.

1.Determine whether grasshopper phenology (timing to adulthood) has changed at these sites.

•Examine whether changes in when the number of GDDs occur explains changes in timing to adulthood.

Documents

The effects of climate change on the phenology of grasshoppers in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado