understanding seasonal and long-term changes around us through phenology nature’s rhythms:...

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Understanding seasonal and long-term changes around us through PHENOLOGY

Nature’s rhythms:

LoriAnne Barnett

Education Coordinator

Important things we’ll discuss today:What is PHENOLOGYWhat are plant and animal life cycles?What do we know about seasonal

changes in the desert?Why do we have certain plants and

animals here?What can Nature’s Notebook help us

understand?

What’s PhenologyPhenology refers to recurring plant and animal life cycle stages, such as leafing and flowering, maturation of agricultural plants, emergence of insects, and migration of birds. It is also the study of these seasonal changes, especially their timing and relationships with weather and climate.

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/phenology-and-nature-s-shifting-rhythms-regina-brinker

What do I know about …

Photo credit: L. Barnett

Photo credit: L. Barnett

Photo credit: L. Barnett

Climate & Weather?

Climate is what you expect,Weather is what you get.

-Mark Twain

ClimateLong-term average of daily

weather in a given area.• The average annual rainfall

in Phoenix, AZ is ~8.0 inches.

• The average July high temp is 106°F.

• December is the average coolest month at 44-66°F .

WeatherDay-to-day changes in the

Earth’s atmosphere.

• It rained last Thursday. • There was a hard frost on

January 15 in Tucson.• Sunday will be sunny and

96°F.

It is all about time …

Why is climate important to ecology?

Ecology

Climate drives what occurs where, what lives where, and how those species respond to their environment.

Ecology

Distribution

Abundance

BIOMES –World’s Major Communities Classified by major vegetation, adaptations to environment

Aquatic

Grassland

Desert

Forest

Tundra

http://alliance.la.asu.edu/maps/AZ_biomes_web.pdf

Life Zones

Biodiversity

Acer rubrum (red maple); Photo credit: D. Hartel

Observing the same individual through the seasons

PLANT LIFE CYCLE

GREEN GROWTHRequires Optimum Conditions

PLANT LIFE CYCLE

FLOWER

Requires Optimum Conditions

PLANT LIFE CYCLE

SET SEED Requires Optimum Conditions

American kestrelFalco sparverius

Reproduction

©Wikimedia Commons

©Wikimedia Commons

Reproduction

Active

CompletePupa

INSECT

www.askabiologist.asu.edu

LARVA

PUPA

ADULT

Reproduction Development MethodActivity

ANIMAL >> Mammal, Bird, Snake, Insect

Flowers FruitsLeaves

PLANT

Observable life cycle events orPHENOPHASES

UNDERSTAND HOW SPECIES AND LANDSCAPES ARE

RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

Primary goal• Create a standardized, long-term

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.

Photo credit: C. Enquist

Phot

o cr

edit:

L. R

oman

o

MethodActivity

ANIMAL

Active individuals

Feeding

Individuals at a feeding station

Flowers FruitsLeaves

Leaves Colored leaves

Open flowers Recent seed or fruit drop

PLANT

PHENOPHASES

YES

NO

?

Leaves

Flowers

Fruits

Gambel Oak

Acorn Woodpecker

Photo from All About Birds

Breaking leaf buds

Leaves

Increasing leaf size Colored leaves

Flowers or Flower Buds

Open Flowers

Fruits

Ripe Fruits

Recent fruit or seed drop

DECIDUOUS PLANT PHENOPHASES

Class Assignment!Create a Nature’s Notebook

phenology monitoring project!

①Saguaro

②Candy barrel cactus

③Buck-horn cholla

④Tree cholla

⑤Velvet Mesquite

⑥Yellow paloverde

⑦Desert ironwood

⑧Brittlebush

⑨Beavertail pricklypear

Identify:

Photo credit: L. Barnett

Homework Assignment!

Nature Journal Worksheet

Important things we’ll discuss today:What is PHENOLOGYWhat are plant and animal life cycles?What do we know about seasonal

changes in the desert?Why do we have certain plants and

animals here?What can Nature’s Notebook help us

understand?

Connect with USA-NPN…

• Sign up for a phenology quarterly e-newsletter

• Become an observer

• Discover new tools and resources

LoriAnne Barnettlorianne@usanpn.org

www.facebook.com/USANPN

www.pinterest.com/USANPN

www.twitter.com/@loriannebarnett

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