Jake F. Weltzin, Kathryn Thomas, Brian Haggerty, Theresa Crimmins, Ellen Denny,

Abe Miller-Rushing, Alyssa Rosemartin

www.usanpn.org

The USA National Phenology Network:

A Practical Tool for Research, Management and Education in the

Face of Climate Change

Agenda

• Introduction to USA-NPN and overview of applications (11:30-12)

• Applications break-out groups (12-1:15)

– Research (Kathryn Thomas)– Decision support (Jake Weltzin)– Education (Brian Haggerty)

Outline

• What is phenology & why does it matter?• What is the USA National Phenology Network?• Applications for research programs & historic

datasets• Applications for management & decision

support• Applications for education programs• Using the USA-NPN data entry interface

Cause and consequence of seasonal biological events

Phenology

“Phenology…is perhaps the simplest process in which to track changes in the ecology of species

in response to climate change.” (IPCC 2007)

Changes in spring timing for many organisms

Parmesan and Yohe 2003 Nature

Parmesan and Yohe

• Meta-analysis

• 677 species examined

• 16-132 years (med = 45)

• 62% advanced in timingCamille Parmesan

Response depends on the type of organism

Parmesan 2007 GCB

-10

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

Ch

ang

e in

sp

ring

tim

ing

(d

ays/

de

cad

e)

N = 203

English Oak

Winter Moth

Pied Flycatcher Both et al. 2006 Nature

EARLIER

SAME TIME EACH YEAR

EARLIER

A three-way mismatch

Outline

• What is phenology & why does it matter?• What is the USA National Phenology

Network?• Applications for research programs & historic

datasets• Applications for management & decision

support• Applications for education programs• Using the USA-NPN data entry interface

A new data resource—a national network of integrated phenological observations across space and time

• Understand how plants, animals and landscapes respond to environmental variation and climate change

• Develop decision-support tools and techniques to facilitate human adaptation to climate change

• Engage the public in scientific discovery and increase the understanding of the changing natural world through phenology monitoring

• National-scale science and monitoring initiative

• Agencies, NGOs, academia, the public

• Integrates with other science/monitoring networks

• Target: 100,000 observation locations

• Plants + animals; contemporary + legacy data

• Education & outreach

• Integration across spatial and temporal scales

NPN in a nutshell

Native American

Tribes

Native American

Tribes

ScientistsScientistsSpecializedNetworks

SpecializedNetworks

PublicAgencies

PublicAgencies

NGOsNGOs

Educators

Educators

CitizenScientists

CitizenScientists National

Coordinating Office

Information ManagementMonitoring Programs

CommunicationsResource ManagersResource Managers

Services for stakeholders

Outline

• What is phenology & why does it matter?• What is the USA National Phenology Network?• Applications for research programs &

historic datasets• Applications for management & decision

support• Applications for education programs• Using the USA-NPN data entry interface

• Henry David Thoreau, Walden Pond, Concord, MA

- 600 plant species, first flowering, 8 years, 1850s

• Richard Primack & Abe Miller-Rushing, Concord, MA

- 42 plant species, first flowering, 4 years, 2004-2007

- Average flowering date: 7 days earlier

- Culprit: rising winter and spring temperatures

Thoreau on Walden Pond

Rich Hank Abe

https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bpp/

Outline

• What is phenology & why does it matter?• What is the USA National Phenology Network?• Applications for research programs & historic

datasets• Applications for management & decision

support• Applications for education programs• How to use the USA-NPN data entry interface

• Predictive services: fire, invasions, dust, runoff

• Health: allergies, disease

• Natural resources: management, migrations, pests

• Conservation: mutualisms, reserve planning

• Agriculture: plant & animal production, biocontrol

• Ecosystem services: carbon, water & nutrient dynamics

• Recreation: hunting, leaf-peeping, bird-watching

Management & Decision Support Applications

Local extinctions in Concord, MA Willis et al. 2008 PNAS

Change in phenology

Dec

line

in p

opul

atio

n

asters, bladderworts, buttercups, dogwoods, lilies,

mints, orchids, violets

What’s declining?

Vulnerability assessments

Outline

• What is phenology & why does it matter?• What is the USA National Phenology Network?• Applications for research programs & historic

datasets• Applications for management & decision

support• Applications for education programs• Using the USA-NPN data entry interface

http://www.usanpn.org/?q=educators_clearinghouse

Educator’s Clearinghouse

The Phenology Handbook can be tailored for a variety of audiences

• Great introduction to phenology monitoring

• Engage public in global change data collection

• Educational materials on-line

• Observations for any plant species

Outline

• What is phenology & why does it matter?• What is the USA National Phenology Network?• Applications for research programs & historic

datasets• Applications for management & decision

support• Applications for education programs• Using the USA-NPN data entry interface

USA-NPN Information Management System

Decision- support

Research

Education

Search

Synthesis

Visualizations

Work platform

Datasets

Products

Data

Contemp-orary

Legacy

Partners

Ancillary

Data curation

User interface

Databasesystem

Metadata

215 plant species

• Search by state or partner

• Calibration Species

• Cloned Plant Project Species

http://www.usanpn.org/?q=species_search

1. Review site & species selection

guidelines

2. Select plants to monitor

3. Register yourself

4. Register your site

5. Register your individual plants

6. Get instructions & data sheets

7. Make & record observations

8. Report observations online

http://www.usanpn.org/?q=guidelines

www.usanpn.org

Register your site

Register your plants

1. Research (Kathryn Thomas)

2. Decision support and management (Jake Weltzin)

3. Education (Brian Haggerty)

Break-out groups