Phenology Trail and Tribal Colleges: An introduction to collaboration

Phenology Trail and Tribal Colleges: An introduction to collaboration
LoriAnne Barnett Education Coordinator, USA-NPN

More simplistically, phenology is nature’s calendar
More simplistically, phenology is nature’s calendar. What happens during certain times of the year – it provides a means for observation and affects every living thing on the planet. It is something that can be observed on a small scale, such as in a plant in your back yard to the regional and global scale – for example, noticing early bloom times for cherry blossoms all along the eastern seaboard of the United States, early emergence of mosquitos in Savannah, GA, or leaf out of maple trees across the whole US using satellite imagery. Phenology is: Phenology refers to recurring plant and animal life cycle stages, or phenophases, such as leafing and flowering, maturation of agricultural plants, emergence of insects, and migration of birds. Phenology, in short, is a “horizontal science” which transects all ordinary biological professions. Whoever sees the land as a whole is likely to have an interest in it. Leopold, A., and S.E. Jones A phenological record for Sauk and Dane Counties, Wisconsin, Ecological Monographs 17(1):

Amelanchier arborea: Serviceberry or “shadbush”
Blooms when shad are running in rivers More simplistically, phenology is nature’s calendar. What happens during certain times of the year – it provides a means for observation and affects every living thing on the planet. It is something that can be observed on a small scale, such as in a plant in your back yard to the regional and global scale – for example, noticing early bloom times for cherry blossoms all along the eastern seaboard of the United States, early emergence of mosquitos in Savannah, GA, or leaf out of maple trees across the whole US using satellite imagery. Phenology is: Phenology refers to recurring plant and animal life cycle stages, or phenophases, such as leafing and flowering, maturation of agricultural plants, emergence of insects, and migration of birds. Phenology, in short, is a “horizontal science” which transects all ordinary biological professions. Whoever sees the land as a whole is likely to have an interest in it. Leopold, A., and S.E. Jones A phenological record for Sauk and Dane Counties, Wisconsin, Ecological Monographs 17(1):

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

Define phenology Objectives
Nature’s Notebook and the USA National Phenology Network Phenology trails Science and collaboration Photo credit: L. Barnett

Phenology What is phenology?
The science of the seasons Blooms and buds Hibernation, migration, emergence Easy to observe More simplistically, phenology is nature’s calendar. What happens during certain times of the year – it provides a means for observation and affects every living thing on the planet. It is something that can be observed on a small scale, such as in a plant in your back yard to the regional and global scale – for example, noticing early bloom times for cherry blossoms all along the eastern seaboard of the United States, early emergence of mosquitos in Savannah, GA, or leaf out of maple trees across the whole US using satellite imagery. Phenology is: Phenology refers to recurring plant and animal life cycle stages, or phenophases, such as leafing and flowering, maturation of agricultural plants, emergence of insects, and migration of birds. Phenology, in short, is a “horizontal science” which transects all ordinary biological professions. Whoever sees the land as a whole is likely to have an interest in it. Leopold, A., and S.E. Jones A phenological record for Sauk and Dane Counties, Wisconsin, Ecological Monographs 17(1): …it is the study of recurring plant and animal life-cycle stages, or phenophases, and their relationship to environmental conditions. Photo credit: L. Barnett

Phenology Who observes phenology? Scientists Gardeners/Agriculturists
Land managers Educators Youth More simplistically, phenology is nature’s calendar. What happens during certain times of the year – it provides a means for observation and affects every living thing on the planet. It is something that can be observed on a small scale, such as in a plant in your back yard to the regional and global scale – for example, noticing early bloom times for cherry blossoms all along the eastern seaboard of the United States, early emergence of mosquitos in Savannah, GA, or leaf out of maple trees across the whole US using satellite imagery. Phenology is: Phenology refers to recurring plant and animal life cycle stages, or phenophases, such as leafing and flowering, maturation of agricultural plants, emergence of insects, and migration of birds. Phenology, in short, is a “horizontal science” which transects all ordinary biological professions. Whoever sees the land as a whole is likely to have an interest in it. Leopold, A., and S.E. Jones A phenological record for Sauk and Dane Counties, Wisconsin, Ecological Monographs 17(1): Photo credit: S. Schaffer Photo credit: P. Warren Photo credit: C. Enquist

Observable life stages
Using nature as a guide ANIMAL > Mammal, Bird, Snake Activity Reproduction Development Observable life stages PLANT Leaves Flowers Fruits

Using nature as a guide Camellia spp. Norfolk Botanical Garden
Photo credit: Google images Camellia spp. Norfolk Botanical Garden

Nature’s Notebook and the USA National Phenology Network
Objectives Define phenology Nature’s Notebook and the USA National Phenology Network Phenology trails Science and collaboration Photo credit: L. Barnett

Primary goal USA National Phenology Network Mission
Create a standardized dataset for use in multiple types of research. Mission Make phenology data, models and related information available. Encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to observe and record phenology. Understand how species and landscapes are responding to climate change. We would like to provide opportunities for people, young and old, to engage with our citizen science project and the natural world, to understand how species are responding to environmental variation and climate change. We also aim to make the collected data available to scientists, resource managers and the public so they can use it to make important decisions. And we aim to provide educational resources to teachers, park and refuge staff, Extension program educators, natural area programmers that will help them communicate information about climate change and how using our citizen science program contributes to a larger community of scientific research. Photo credit: C. Enquist

Nature’s Notebook for scientists, naturalists, volunteers, land managers, park rangers, and YOU! Photo credit: L. Romano Nature’s Notebook is the USA National Phenology Network’s plant and animal phenology observation program. Through this program, scientists and non-scientists alike are collecting phenology observations on hundreds of species of plants and animals including birds, frogs, mammals, insects, fish, and herps, following scientifically rigorous protocols. Nature’s Notebook can directly support research and decision-making. The phenology observations collected through Nature’s Notebook are maintained in USA-NPN’s national phenology database made freely available for query, visualization, and download on the USA-NPN website.

Plant and animal species = 943 total
Nature’s Notebook Plant and animal species = 943 total 3112 observers reporting (9655 total) making 482,343 observations1 11,440 sites 1As of

Nature’s Notebook

PHENOPHASES Nature’s Notebook ANIMAL > Mammal, Bird, Snake, Insect
Activity Reproduction Development Method Active individuals Feeding Male combat Mating Young individuals Dead individuals Individuals at a feeding station PHENOPHASES PLANT Leaves Flowers Fruits Young leaves Leaves Colored leaves Flowers or flower buds Open flowers Ripe fruits Recent seed or fruit drop

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

Watering plants in backyard.. Notice someone is munching on leaves
Photo credit: L. Barnett

Who is it? Photo credit: L. Barnett

Orange dog caterpillar – turns into Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
Photo credit: P. Warren

Phenology trails Objectives Define phenology
Nature’s Notebook and the USA National Phenology Network Phenology trails Science and collaboration Photo credit: L. Barnett

Phenology Trails What is a Phenology Trail?
A phenology trail is a network of Nature’s Notebook observation sites. Each site has at least two plant and/or animal individuals tagged for data collection. Observations help us remember what happened, and when. This talk will provide an introduction to the science of phenology and its importance as well as discuss the USA-NPN’s role in phenology study and data collection. It briefly highlights citizen science and how to use our Nature’s Notebook data collection program. It will provide some background on how the program was designed and who the participants are, as well as the USA-NPN’s role in Education. We will provide examples about how to implement Nature’s Notebook at a site, such as a school, nature area, national park, wildlife refuge, and give you information about the tools you’ll need to do so. Lastly, we will provide a quick overview on how to use Nature’s Notebook, noting that we have many, many resources online to help you navigate the website and online data entry system.

Aerial & On-the-ground Photography
Phenology Trails NASA Satellite Aerial & On-the-ground Photography When do white oak trees leaf out in the spring and, subsequently, lose their leaves in the fall? Refuge Biologists Communities can create a phenology monitoring program around a local science question. I like to think of a Phenology Trail "system" as some that can be used in a community capacity to connect and engage like-minded organizations in a given geographic area. Those organizations can be scientific research providers (such as a Cooperative Extension Office, LCC, Wildlife Refuge, National Park, local park, or any group doing some sort of inventory and monitoring) or they can be nature centers whose primary goals include education and outreach. I recommend that the partnering organizations decide upon and develop a local science question that can be answered using data collected by observers in Nature's Notebook. The data collected can be useful to all organizational stakeholders, in some way. Observers can then be community program participants, scientists, youth groups, organizational staff, etc. Having a local science question provides context and builds local capacity, in addition to giving people an opportunity to contribute to a national science program. It also can provide a framework for local citizens to engage with the research piece and help with data analysis, in conjunction with local organizational staff. In this example the question, “When do white oak trees leaf out in the spring and subsequently lose their leaves in the fall?”, is something that could be useful to many of the stakeholders pictured here. A researcher at a university might be interested in leaf out and brown down times for the oak trees in the northeastern US. They are already obtaining satellite data and aerial images (and perhaps on the ground photos from phenocams) to determine the onset of spring and fall based on oak tree response to seasonal change. School groups and nature centers teaching about seasonal changes in the area can benefit from the answer to that question and can implement a Nature’s Notebook long-term monitoring program to determine if those times are changing from year to year or in a longer term. The data that they collect in Nature’s Notebook is also valuable and available to the university research scientist. Simultaneously, adult volunteer groups may be interested in helping with a local or national citizen science project and data they collect at their local sites via Nature’s Notebook will also be available and valuable to that researcher. Staff on the refuges may also be interested in understanding when green up and brown down times occur as well as understanding how and when the other animals, insects, etc. in the ecosystem are using the oak tree resource. Data obtained by all of these groups can be valuable for creating baseline information for the refuge and phenological calendars for a given refuge or location. Partnering together, each of these groups has a very tangible outcome they are interested in, whether it be a research question, a management question, or an education/engagement question. The more organizations contributing to the effort, the richer the dataset for everyone involved, as well as for the folks interested at the broader, national level. The data, of course, is available to everyone visually and in a spreadsheet for analysis in each of their programs. If local groups do not have a scientific research question already being addressed, they can collectively create their own. It can be anything related to seasonal changes in the environment and phenology. Schoolyard habitats Nature Centers Volunteer Groups

Total of 75 Miles, start to finish
Phenology Trails Tucson Phenology Trail Current locations Biosphere 2 UA Campus (2 sites) Sam Hughes & Rincon Heights Neighborhood Pima Extension Offices (2 sites) Tucson Botanical Garden Pima County Parks and Rec USGS Buffelgrass Project Tucson Audubon Mason Center Santa Rita Experimental Range Total of 75 Miles, start to finish 3-10 species tagged at each

Tucson Phenology Trail
Phenology Trails Species being monitored Jojoba Velvet mesquite Yellow paloverde Blue paloverde Ocotillo Creosote Florida hopbush Saguaro Penstemon (parryi) Texas Ranger Desert Ironwood +++ Tucson Phenology Trail

Science and collaboration
Objectives Define phenology Nature’s Notebook and the USA National Phenology Network Phenology trails Science and collaboration Photo credit: L. Barnett

Help achieve programmatic goals Communities can create a phenology monitoring program around a local science question. I like to think of a Phenology Trail "system" as some that can be used in a community capacity to connect and engage like-minded organizations in a given geographic area. Those organizations can be scientific research providers (such as a Cooperative Extension Office, LCC, Wildlife Refuge, National Park, local park, or any group doing some sort of inventory and monitoring) or they can be nature centers whose primary goals include education and outreach. I recommend that the partnering organizations decide upon and develop a local science question that can be answered using data collected by observers in Nature's Notebook. The data collected can be useful to all organizational stakeholders, in some way. Observers can then be community program participants, scientists, youth groups, organizational staff, etc. Having a local science question provides context and builds local capacity, in addition to giving people an opportunity to contribute to a national science program. It also can provide a framework for local citizens to engage with the research piece and help with data analysis, in conjunction with local organizational staff. In this example the question, “When do white oak trees leaf out in the spring and subsequently lose their leaves in the fall?”, is something that could be useful to many of the stakeholders pictured here. A researcher at a university might be interested in leaf out and brown down times for the oak trees in the northeastern US. They are already obtaining satellite data and aerial images (and perhaps on the ground photos from phenocams) to determine the onset of spring and fall based on oak tree response to seasonal change. School groups and nature centers teaching about seasonal changes in the area can benefit from the answer to that question and can implement a Nature’s Notebook long-term monitoring program to determine if those times are changing from year to year or in a longer term. The data that they collect in Nature’s Notebook is also valuable and available to the university research scientist. Simultaneously, adult volunteer groups may be interested in helping with a local or national citizen science project and data they collect at their local sites via Nature’s Notebook will also be available and valuable to that researcher. Staff on the refuges may also be interested in understanding when green up and brown down times occur as well as understanding how and when the other animals, insects, etc. in the ecosystem are using the oak tree resource. Data obtained by all of these groups can be valuable for creating baseline information for the refuge and phenological calendars for a given refuge or location. Partnering together, each of these groups has a very tangible outcome they are interested in, whether it be a research question, a management question, or an education/engagement question. The more organizations contributing to the effort, the richer the dataset for everyone involved, as well as for the folks interested at the broader, national level. The data, of course, is available to everyone visually and in a spreadsheet for analysis in each of their programs. If local groups do not have a scientific research question already being addressed, they can collectively create their own. It can be anything related to seasonal changes in the environment and phenology. Within and between organizations

Develop your own scientific questions to answer, using Nature’s Notebook: What questions do you have about seasonality in your backyard? What evidence do we have that there are seasonal changes? Why? Create a list of observations you’ve made, plan to record them in Nature’s Notebook as regularly as possible for at least a year Photo credit: L. Barnett Photo credit: L. Barnett Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons Photo credit: P. Warren Based upon inquiry lessons in science.education.nih.gov

Science questions to answer: Is the monsoon season correlated with the dropping of ripe mesquite beans? When is the best time to harvest mesquite beans to get the most beans per effort? How far into the monsoon season is it safe to collect beans for harvest? Photo credit: P. Warren Photo credit: P. Guertin

Long-term observations help the USA-NPN and can help local programs!
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! Photo credit: L. Barnett

Help achieve programmatic goals GOALS and OUTCOMES 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 Communities can create a phenology monitoring program around a local science question. I like to think of a Phenology Trail "system" as some that can be used in a community capacity to connect and engage like-minded organizations in a given geographic area. Those organizations can be scientific research providers (such as a Cooperative Extension Office, LCC, Wildlife Refuge, National Park, local park, or any group doing some sort of inventory and monitoring) or they can be nature centers whose primary goals include education and outreach. I recommend that the partnering organizations decide upon and develop a local science question that can be answered using data collected by observers in Nature's Notebook. The data collected can be useful to all organizational stakeholders, in some way. Observers can then be community program participants, scientists, youth groups, organizational staff, etc. Having a local science question provides context and builds local capacity, in addition to giving people an opportunity to contribute to a national science program. It also can provide a framework for local citizens to engage with the research piece and help with data analysis, in conjunction with local organizational staff. In this example the question, “When do white oak trees leaf out in the spring and subsequently lose their leaves in the fall?”, is something that could be useful to many of the stakeholders pictured here. A researcher at a university might be interested in leaf out and brown down times for the oak trees in the northeastern US. They are already obtaining satellite data and aerial images (and perhaps on the ground photos from phenocams) to determine the onset of spring and fall based on oak tree response to seasonal change. School groups and nature centers teaching about seasonal changes in the area can benefit from the answer to that question and can implement a Nature’s Notebook long-term monitoring program to determine if those times are changing from year to year or in a longer term. The data that they collect in Nature’s Notebook is also valuable and available to the university research scientist. Simultaneously, adult volunteer groups may be interested in helping with a local or national citizen science project and data they collect at their local sites via Nature’s Notebook will also be available and valuable to that researcher. Staff on the refuges may also be interested in understanding when green up and brown down times occur as well as understanding how and when the other animals, insects, etc. in the ecosystem are using the oak tree resource. Data obtained by all of these groups can be valuable for creating baseline information for the refuge and phenological calendars for a given refuge or location. Partnering together, each of these groups has a very tangible outcome they are interested in, whether it be a research question, a management question, or an education/engagement question. The more organizations contributing to the effort, the richer the dataset for everyone involved, as well as for the folks interested at the broader, national level. The data, of course, is available to everyone visually and in a spreadsheet for analysis in each of their programs. If local groups do not have a scientific research question already being addressed, they can collectively create their own. It can be anything related to seasonal changes in the environment and phenology. Within and between organizations

How can I participate? Set up a site and regularly collect and enter data Create science questions Visit a partner group site and regularly collect and enter data Participate in a regional campaign Think about phenology as a lens to natural world

Help researchers answer key questions
Join a Campaign Help researchers answer key questions Get localized results and an end of season summary Find the right campaign for your location:

Nature’s Notebook Home:
More Ways To Connect Attend a Webinar REGISTER! Tuesday, March 4, 2014 – PopClock: How do I get started? What good are my observations? Tuesday, March 11, 2014 – How Nature’s Notebook can help you meet science and outreach goals Tuesday, April 8th, 2014 – Botany 101: Plant parts and tricky phenophases

QUESTIONS? Photo credit: L. Barnett

Thank you! 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 Barnett Visit our website for more information or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Help us to achieve our goal of reaching one million observations by taking the pulse of our planet! LoriAnne Barnett @loriannebarnett

Phenology Trail and Tribal Colleges: An introduction to collaboration

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