Nature's Notebook at the New York Botanical Garden:
The power of citizen science in local and national discoveries
Alyssa Rosemartin & TeamUSA National Phenology Network
National Coordinating OfficeTucson, Arizona
Why does phenology matter? What have data from the NYBG shown so
far? How do you get started in Nature’s
Notebook? How do you judge some of the trickier
phenophases? Question and answer session
Overview
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: L. Barnett
…it is the study of recurring plant and animal life-cycle stages, or phenophases, and their relationship to environmental conditions.
Photo credit: P. Warren
Invasions
AllergiesPests &
Diseases
Wildfires Flu season
Agriculture
Festivals
Ecotourism
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Why do we care about phenology?
A multi-taxa, national-scalePlant 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 Notebookis for scientists, naturalists, volunteers, land
managers, park rangers, and YOU!
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Nature’s Notebook
Why does phenology matter? What have data from the NYBG shown so
far? How do you get started in Nature’s
Notebook? How do you judge some of the trickier
phenophases? Question and answer session
Overview
Pignut Hickory12%
Black Oak11%
Black Cherry10%
White Ash9%Red Maple
9%Sweetgum
8%
American Beech8%
Red Oak5%
Other species28%
Percent of Observations by Species
~200,000 records were collected from 2009-2013:
• 31 Species of trees• 3 Trails• 123 Individual trees
Top contributors were:
1. D. Gregg2. S. Zucker-Scharff3. T. Zucker-Scharff
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
10 10
15
22
28Number of species observed
Summary of NYBG forest dataset
Duration of leafing and flowering 2013 at the NYBG Forest
Emerging leaves
Open flowers
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
red maple
Emerging leaves
Open flowers
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
pignut hickory
Emerging leaves
Open flowers
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
black oak
Jan 1 Feb 19 Apr 10 May 30 Jul 19 Sep 7 Oct 27 Dec 16
Jan 1 Feb 19 Apr 10 May 30 Jul 19 Sep 7 Oct 27 Dec 16
Jan 1 Feb 19 Apr 10 May 30 Jul 19 Sep 7 Oct 27 Dec 16
Open flowersEmerging leaves
Black Oak
Pignut Hickory
Red Maple
Black Oak
Pignut Hickory
Red Maple
Black Oak
Pignut Hickory
Red Maple
Black Oak
Pignut Hickory
Red Maple
2010
2011
2012
2013
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Duration of flowering across years and species at the NYBG Forest
Jan 1 Feb 19 Apr 10 May 30 Jul 19 Sep 7 Oct 27 Dec 16
How does the forest compare to rest of the northeast?
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
NYBG Forest Data
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Nature’s Notebook Data
Jan 20
Feb 9
Mar 1
Mar 21
Apr 10
Apr 30
May 20
Jan 20
Feb 9
Mar 1
Mar 21
Apr 10
Apr 30
May 20
Onset of Emerging Leaves in 9 Deciduous Tree Species
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Nature's Notebook Data
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
NYBG Forest Data
Feb 19
Apr 10
May 30
Jul 19
Sep 7
Oct 27
Dec 16
Feb 19
Apr 10
May 30
Jul 19
Sep 7
Oct 27
Dec 16
How does the forest compare to rest of the northeast?
Onset of Colored Leaves in 9 Deciduous Tree Species
2012: Onset of Open Flowers
Prediction for Baccharis pilularis :
Warmer temperatures should result in delayed flowering.
R2 = 0.67y = 4.77x + 162.4
p < 0.0001N=18 sites
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/
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Meanwhile in California: Relationship between temperature and flowering
Jeong et al., GRL 2013
Red
map
le (A
. rub
rum
)
A. rubrum, 2080-2099
Making predictions
What about this spring?
Why does phenology matter? What have data from the NYBG shown so
far? How do you get started in Nature’s
Notebook? How do you judge some of the trickier
phenophases? Question and answer session
Overview
Getting started in Nature’s Notebook
https://www.usanpn.org/user/register
Getting started in Nature’s Notebook
Getting started in Nature’s Notebook
Free for Android and iPhone devicesWorks without internet/data coverage
Nature’s Notebook mobile apps
www.usanpn.org/data/visualizations
Map, animate and graph data
Why does phenology matter? What have data from the NYBG shown so
far? How do you get started in Nature’s
Notebook? How do you judge some of the trickier
phenophases? Question and answer session
Overview
1. Leaves2. Flowers3. Fruits4. A bit about phenophase intensity
The definitions were written to be taken literally.
Tricky phenophases
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.
No Yes No
Leaf stalk or petiole is visible. Phot
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Emerging Leaf Duration –
American BeechBlack Cherry
Black OakPignut Hickory
Red MapleSweetgum
TuliptreeWhite Ash
American BeechBlack Cherry
Black OakPignut Hickory
Northern Red OakRed MapleSweetgum
TuliptreeWhite Ash
American BeechBlack Cherry
Black OakPignut Hickory
Northern Red OakRed MapleSweetgum
TuliptreeWhite Ash
American BeechBlack Cherry
Black OakPignut Hickory
Northern Red OakRed MapleSweetgum
TuliptreeWhite Ash
2010
2011
2012
2013
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350Jan 1 Feb 19 Apr 10 May 30 Jul 19 Sep 7 Oct 27 Dec 16
Emerging Leaf Duration in NYBG Forest
Do you see… leaves?
No – don’t count leaves as either leaves or colored leaves after they have lost all their pigments, nutrients and chlorophyll.
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.
Do you see… colored leaves?
Yes
… and it doesn’t matter whysummer drought…. Insect damage or other stresses
One or more leaves have turned to their late-season colors. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves that remain on the plant.
Do you see… colored leaves?
Yes, and -
> 5% of leaves colored
Or,
Add a comment (for example “just a few leaves, due to stress”)
One or more leaves have turned to their late-season colors. Do not include fully dried or dead leaves that remain on the plant.
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 YesYes
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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.
NoYes
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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.
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
Yes for fruitNo for ripe fruit
Do you see… fruit?
One or more fruits are visible on the plant.
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'
Yes for fruitNo for ripe fruit
Do you see… fruit?
One or more fruits are visible on the plant.
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'
Yes for fruitYes for ripe fruit
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
No, fruit or ripe fruit
Do you see… fruit or ripe fruit?
Yes, fruit and ripe fruit
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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?
Less than 5% 95% or more
5-24% 25-49% 50-74% 75-94%
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?
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:
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves?
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Start with a bare tree… no leaves
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves?
Imagine it fully leafed out…
* Ignore dead branches in your estimate. Phot
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What percent of the canopy is full with leaves?
Less than 5%
5-24%
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves?
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What percent of the canopy is full with leaves?
25-49%
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves?
50-74%
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What percent of the canopy is full with leaves?
75-94%
What percent of the canopy is full with leaves?
95% or more
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Leaves: 25-49%Colored leaves: 25-49%
Leaves: 95% or moreColored leaves: No
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Leaves: 95% or moreColored leaves: 75-94%
Resources
1. Start with the definitions, and species-specific information.
2. Try the FAQ page.
3. Email [email protected].
Tuesday, April 8, 2014: Botany 101: Plant parts and tricky phenophases
Tuesday, June 10, 2014: A summary of spring: What have we learned from our campaigns so far?
Tuesday, July 8, 2014: What came first, the flower or the bee? Learn to explore patterns in space and time with our Visualization Tool
Upcoming webinars
Why does phenology matter? What have data from the NYBG shown so
far? How do you get started in Nature’s
Notebook? How do you judge some of the trickier
phenophases? Question and answer session
Overview
HOST PRESENTER
Erin PosthumusOutreach Associate
AlyssaRosemartinAssistant Director & IT Coordinator
Q&A Panel
Theresa CrimminsOutreach and Partnerships Coordinator@TheresaCrimmins
Ellen DennyMonitoring Design Coordinator
Patty GuertinBotanist
LoriAnne BarnettEducation Coordinator@LoriAnneBarnett
Thank you!