1. 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

2. The effects of climate change on the phenology of grasshoppers in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado 1. Life-zones 2. Climate change & its effects 3. Using grasshoppers to understand climate change climate change 4. Intro to GDDs http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/entomology/hopper/orthoptera_home.htm

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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 As one moves up in elevation: Average temperatures and season length decline and precipitation increases 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

7. PLAINS - occur below 5,000 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

8. FOOTHILLS - 5,000 ft - 6,000 ft Common Plants: Buffalo grass and other plains grasses, ponderosa pine Mammals: Mule deer, elk, jack rabbits

9. MONTANE - 6,000ft -9,000 ft 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

10. 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)

11. 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

12. The effects of climate change on the phenology of grasshoppers in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado 1. Life-zones 2. Climate change & its effects 3. Using grasshoppers to understand climate change climate change 4. Intro to GDDs http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/entomology/hopper/orthoptera_home.htm

13. Climate Change Over the last century, the atmosphere has increased by 0.74 + 0.18 C 0 1.30 + 0.32 F 0 (IPCC 2007) 13 of the warmest years on record during 1998-2009

14. Climate Change Over the last century, the atmosphere has increased by 0.74 + 0.18 C 0 1.30 + 0.32 F 0 (IPCC 2007) In plants and insects temperatures affects i. Phenology (via rates of development) ii. Distributions

15. Climate Change Over the last century, the atmosphere has increased by 0.74 + 0.18 C 0 1.30 + 0.32 F 0 (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

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

17. Dr. Gordon Alexander Faculty member in CU’s EEB department (1939 - 1966) Department chair of EEB for 20 years http://alexander.colorado.edu

18. 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

19. 1958-1960 Gordon Alexander Grasshopper Survey NSF supported project Goals: document species, distributions & phenology of local grasshoppers

20. 1958-1960 - Surveyed grasshoppers at 4 main sites (weekly basis, March-Sept)

21. 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 A1 C1 B1 A1 ChautauquaMesa N W Colorado NEED TO REMOVE SOME SITES

22. 1958-1960 - Surveyed grasshoppers at 4 main sites (weekly basis, March-Sept) BOULDER C1 B1 A1 C1 B1 A1 ChautauquaMesa N W Colorado NEED TO REMOVE SOME SITES - All survey sites are near weather stations (Boulder, A1, B1, C1)

23. Chautauqua Mesa - 1752m (5750ft) Foothills Gerald M. Fauske Station A1 - 2195m (7200 ft) lower Montane Gerald M. Fauske

24. Station B1 - 2591m (8500ft) Upper Montane Gerald M. Fauske Station C1 - 3048m (10000 ft) Subalpine Gerald M. Fauske

25. 1958-1960 Gordon Alexander Grasshopper Survey Alexander kept extensive field notes for all weekly collecting events at each site - Species present - developmental stages

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

27. 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

28. The effects of climate change on the phenology of grasshoppers in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado 1. Life-zones 2. Climate change & its effects 3. Using grasshoppers to understand climate change climate change 4. Intro to Phenology & GDDs http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/entomology/hopper/orthoptera_home.htm

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

30. For plants: first flush of leaves in spring, the first flowering or fruiting dates, or when leaves turn in the fall

31. 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 animals: breaking of hibernation or diapause, egg-laying dates, the timing of migration or when different life stages are reached

32. Phenology: The timing of annual biological events in plants and animals Why should climate change effect the phenology of organisms?

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

34. Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants)

35. Base temp (12 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants) Base temp = the temperature above which growth & development can proceed

36. Base temp (12 0 ) Upper threshold temp (38 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants) 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

37. Base temp (12 0 ) Upper threshold temp (38 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development 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. Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants)

38. Base temp (12 0 ) Upper threshold temp (38 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development 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. Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants) How many GDD if daily high is 24 0 and is 12 0 C (base 12 0 )?

39. Base temp (12 0 ) Upper threshold temp (38 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development 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. Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants) How many GDD if daily high is 24 0 and is 12 0 C (base 12 0 )? 2 - 12 = 6 GDD = 24 + 12

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

41. Cumulative Growing Degree Days: Number of degree-days accumulated during a specified time interval 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. Ordinal date Cumulative GDDs

42. Cumulative Growing Degree Days: Number of degree-days accumulated during a specified time interval 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. Ordinal date Cumulative GDDs March 1 August 31 Grasshopper Growing Season

43. Cumulative Growing Degree Days: Number of degree-days accumulated during a specified time interval 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. Ordinal date Cumulative GDDs 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

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

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