Natures Notebook at the New York Botanical Garden
Nature's Notebook at the New York Botanical Garden: The power of citizen science in local and national discoveries Alyssa Rosemartin & Team USA National Phenology Network National Coordinating Office Tucson, Arizona
Overview ü Why does phenology matter? ü What have data from the NYBG shown so far? ü How do you get started in Nature’s Notebook? ü How do you judge some of the trickier phenophases? ü Question and answer session
Photo credit: L. Barnett
Photo credit: P. Warren
Observing change over time I observed an unusual circumstance this spring on the foothill of Moscow Mountain, northern Idaho, elev. 3000‘. I have been monitoring the arrival of hummers for many years here--they range in arrival from early to late April. Usually the Calliope is first, followed by the Rufous. Over the last few years, the Rufous have been either arriving at the same time or before the Calliope. This year the two were nearly simultaneous on Apr. 23. About a week later I spotted the Black Chinned --usually not often seen, and never before late June/July (followed in late summer by the Broadtailed).
Structuring observations April 23, 2012
Comparing regionally
What is phenology? The science of the seasons • Blooms and buds • Hibernation, migration, emergence • Easy to observe Photo credit: P. Warren …it is the study of recurring plant and animal life-cycle stages, or phenophases, and their relationship to environmental conditions. Photo credit: L. Barnett
Why do we care about phenology? Flu season Wildfires Festivals Invasions Ecotourism Allergies Agriculture Slide courtesy of S. Mazer Pests & Diseases
A multi-taxa, national-scale Plant and animal phenology observation program • • Standardized protocols Web and mobile apps for data entry Data download and visualization 3, 000 observers reporting on 650 plant and 250 animal species Nature’s Notebook is for scientists, naturalists, volunteers, land managers, park rangers, and YOU! Photo credit: L. Barnett Nature’s Notebook
Overview ü Why does phenology matter? ü What have data from the NYBG shown so far? ü How do you get started in Nature’s Notebook? ü How do you judge some of the trickier phenophases? ü Question and answer session
Summary of NYBG forest dataset ~200, 000 records were collected from 2009 -2013: • 31 Species of trees • 3 Trails • 123 Individual trees Top contributors were: Number of species observed 28 22 15 10 2009 10 2011 2012 2013 Hickory Percent of Observations by. Pignut Species 12% 1. D. Gregg 2. S. Zucker-Scharff 3. T. Zucker-Scharff Other species 28% Red Oak 5% American Beech 8% Black Oak 11% Black Cherry 10% White Ash Red Maple Swee 9% 9% 8%
Duration of leafing and flowering 2013 at the NYBG Forest Open flowers Emerging leaves red maple Open flowers Emerging leaves 0 Jan 1 50 19 Feb 100 10 Apr 150 30 May 200 Jul 19 250 7 Sep 30027 Oct Dec 350 16 pignut hickory Open flowers Emerging. . . 0 Jan 1 50 19 Feb 100 Apr 10 150 May 30 200 Jul 19 250 Sep 7 30027 Oct Dec 350 16 black oak Open flowers Emerging leaves
Duration of flowering across years and species at the NYBG Forest 2013 Red Maple Pignut Hickory Black Oak 2012 Red Maple Pignut Hickory Black Oak 2011 Red Maple Pignut Hickory Black Oak 2010 Red Maple Pignut Hickory Black Oak 0 Jan 1 50 Feb 19 100 Apr 10 150 May 30 200 Jul 19 250 Sep 7 300 Oct 27 Dec 350 16
How does the forest compare to rest of the northeast? Onset of Emerging Leaves in 9 Deciduous Tree Species Nature’s Notebook Data NYBG Forest Data May 140 20 Apr 120 30 Apr 100 10 Mar 21 80 80 Mar 21 Mar 60 1 Mar 160 Feb 940 20 Jan 20 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
How does the forest compare to rest of the northeast? Onset of Colored Leaves in 9 Deciduous Tree Species Nature's Notebook Data NYBG Forest Data Dec 350 16 Oct 300 27 Oct 27 Sep 250 7 200 Jul 19 May 150 30 Apr 100 10 50 Feb 19 0 2008 300 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Meanwhile in California: Relationship between temperature and flowering Species: Baccharis pilularis (Coyotebrush) Site means reported from sites across California : GOGA-(15 sites), REDW-(5 sites), SAMO-(8 sites) Climate data obtained from PRISM website: prismmap. nacse. org/nn/ 2012: Onset of Open Flowers Prediction for Baccharis pilularis : Warmer temperatures should result in delayed flowering. Slide courtesy of Susan Mazer R 2 = 0. 67 y = 4. 77 x + 162. 4 p < 0. 0001 N=18 sites
Making predictions Red maple (A. rubrum) A. rubrum, 2080 -2099 Jeong et al. , GRL 2013
What about this spring?
Overview ü Why does phenology matter? ü What have data from the NYBG shown so far? ü How do you get started in Nature’s Notebook? ü How do you judge some of the trickier phenophases? ü Question and answer session
Getting started in Nature’s Notebook https: //www. usanpn. org/user/register
Getting started in Nature’s Notebook
Getting started in Nature’s Notebook
Nature’s Notebook mobile apps Free for Android and i. Phone devices Works without internet/data coverage
Map, animate and graph data www. usanpn. org/data/visualizations
Overview ü Why does phenology matter? ü What have data from the NYBG shown so far? ü How do you get started in Nature’s Notebook? ü How do you judge some of the trickier phenophases? ü Question and answer session
Tricky phenophases 1. 2. 3. 4. Leaves Flowers Fruits A bit about phenophase intensity Ø The definitions were written to be taken literally.
Deciduous tree phenophases Breaking leaf buds Leaves Increasing leaf size Colored leaves Flowers or Flower Buds Open Flowers Fruits Ripe Fruits
Do you see… breaking leaf buds? Formerly known as “Emerging Leaves” One or more breaking leaf buds are visible on the plant. A leaf bud is considered "breaking" once a green leaf tip is visible at the end of the bud, but before the first leaf from the bud has unfolded to expose the leaf stalk (petiole) or leaf base. Yes No Leaf stalk or petiole is visible. Photos: Ellen Denny No
2010 2011 2012 2013 Emerging Leaf Duration in NYBG Forest White Ash Tuliptree Sweetgum Red Maple Northern Red Oak Pignut Hickory Black Oak Black Cherry American Beech White Ash Tuliptree Sweetgum Red Maple Pignut Hickory Black Oak Black Cherry American Beech Emerging Leaf Duration – Jan 10 Feb 19 100 Apr 10 May 30200 Jul 19 40016 Sep 300 7 Oct 27 Dec
Do you see… leaves? One or more live, unfolded leaves are visible on the plant. A leaf is considered "unfolded" once its entire length has emerged from the breaking bud so that the leaf stalk (petiole) or leaf base is visible at its point of attachment to the stem. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves. No – don’t count leaves as either leaves or colored leaves after they have lost all their pigments, nutrients and chlorophyll.
Do you see… colored leaves? One or more leaves have turned to their late-season colors. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves that remain on the plant. Yes … and it doesn’t matter why summer drought …. Insect damage or other stresses
Do you see… colored leaves? One or more leaves have turned to their late-season colors. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves that remain on the plant. Yes, and - Ø > 5% of leaves colored Or, Ø Add a comment (for example “just a few leaves, due to stress”)
Do you see… flowers or flower buds? One or more fresh open or unopened flowers or flower buds are visible on the plant. Include flower buds that are still developing, but do not include wilted or dried flowers. Yes Photos: Ellen Denny No
Do you see… flowers or flower buds? One or more fresh open or unopened flowers or flower buds are visible on the plant. Include flower buds that are still developing, but do not include wilted or dried flowers. No Photos: Ellen Denny Yes
Do you see… fruit? One or more fruits are visible on the plant.
Do you see… ripe fruit? One or more fruits are visible on the plant.
Do you see… fruit? One or more fruits are visible on the plant. Yes for fruit No for ripe fruit Fruit: For Acer rubrum, the fruit is two joined seeds in a "V" shape, each seed having a wing, that changes from green or red to tan or brownish and drops from the plant‘ Ripe Fruit: or Acer rubrum, a fruit is considered ripe when it has turned tan or brownish and readily drops from the plant when touched
Do you see… fruit? One or more fruits are visible on the plant. Yes for fruit No for ripe fruit Fruit: For Quercus rubra, the fruit is a nut (acorn), partially covered with a "cap", that changes from green to green-brown to brown, red brown or dark brown‘ Ripe Fruit - For Quercus rubra, a fruit is considered ripe when it has turned brown, red brown or dark brown'
Do you see… fruit? One or more fruits are visible on the plant. Yes for fruit Yes for ripe fruit Fruit: For Prunus serotina, the fruit is a small, fleshy "cherry" that changes from green to purple-black or black' Ripe fruit: For Prunus serotina, a fruit is considered ripe when it has turned purple-black or black'
Do you see… fruit? One or more fruits are visible on the plant. Yes, for fruit Or ? , if the fruit is small, hard to tell
Do you see… fruit or ripe fruit? No, fruit or ripe fruit Photos: Ellen Denny Yes, fruit and ripe fruit
Do you see… recent fruit drop? Yes, if a lot of unripe fruit from your last visit appears to have ripened and fallen. Yes, if a storm seems to have brought a lot of ripe fruit down. ? , if you cannot determine if the fruit is old or recent.
What is intensity? If you answer “Yes” or “Uncertain” to a phenophase – you may be asked an additional question about the degree to which the phenophase is expressed, for example: How many buds are breaking? • • • Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1, 000 1, 001 to 10, 000 More than 10, 000 What percentage of the canopy is full with leaves? 5 -24% Less than 5% 25 -49% 50 -74% 75 -94% 95% or more
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves? Photo: Anette Schloss Start with a bare tree… no leaves
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves? Imagine it fully leafed out…
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves? * Ignore dead branches in your estimate. Photo: Anette Schloss Less than 5%
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves? Photo: Anette Schloss 5 -24%
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves? 25 -49%
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves? 50 -74%
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves? Photo: Anette Schloss 75 -94%
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves? Photo: Anette Schloss 95% or more
Leaves: 95% or more Colored leaves: No Leaves: 95% or more Colored leaves: 75 -94% Photo: Anette Schloss Leaves: 25 -49% Colored leaves: 25 -49%
Resources 1. Start with the definitions, and species-specific information. 2. Try the FAQ page. 3. Email observe@usanpn. org.
Upcoming webinars v Tuesday, April 8, 2014: Botany 101: Plant parts and tricky phenophases v Tuesday, June 10, 2014: A summary of spring: What have we learned from our campaigns so far? v Tuesday, July 8, 2014: What came first, the flower or the bee? Learn to explore patterns in space and time with our Visualization Tool
Overview ü Why does phenology matter? ü What have data from the NYBG shown so far? ü How do you get started in Nature’s Notebook? ü How do you judge some of the trickier phenophases? ü Question and answer session
Thank you! HOST PRESENTER Erin Posthumus Outreach Associate Alyssa Rosemartin Assistant Director & IT Coordinator Q&A Panel Theresa Crimmins Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator @Theresa. Crimmins Ellen Denny Monitoring Design Coordinator Patty Guertin Botanist Lori. Anne Barnett Education Coordinator @Lori. Anne. Barnett
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