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Understory herbs are quicker to advance leaf-out than overstory trees

Thu, Nov 10, 2022
Publication Summary

Changing climate conditions may affect the timing of leaf-out among trees and forbs in different ways. A research team based at the University of Ottawa evaluated anticipated changes in leaf-out among these two groups of plants using data contributed to Nature’s Notebook from 965 sites across northeastern North America. The team found that understory herbs are advancing leaf-out at a greater rate than trees, especially at higher latitudes. This more rapid advancement in leaf-out could result in a longer growing season and increased carbon uptake for these plants as temperatures increase.

Annual Report Guide

LPP Planning Resource

This guide will help you with developing a report for your Local Phenology Program. A phenology report is a document that describes the status of your phenological monitoring program, including participant statistics, data volume statistics, and patterns in the data.  It can be produced for any time scale, such as quarterly on an annual or biannual basis.   

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It’s not just climate warming – artificial light is shifting phenology

Mon, Oct 24, 2022
Publication Summary

We know plants respond when the days get longer in the spring and shorter in the fall, but what happens when it’s still light after sunset? Using data on dozens of species and hundreds of sites in the Nature’s Notebook dataset, Lin Meng and colleagues found that the presence of artificial light advances breaking leaf buds and delays leaf color change. The ecological impact of artificial light at night has not been well-documented, and it’s a great opportunity to reflect on your local landscape at night and to think about how the plants you observe might be responding.

Editable Local Phenology Program Info Sheet

LPP Event Resource

You can use this editable info sheet to educate guests and volunteers about your Local Phenology Program. The first page include information about the USA-NPN and Nature's Notebook. The second page includes prompts where you can fill in information and visuals about your program. 

Phenology Snapshots

Lesson plan
Post Secondary
Indoor

Students conduct an investigation using historical photographic records to determine whether the timing of plant phenophases has changed in their own communities. They search for old photos (indicating dates) in their family’s or town’s records that show sites where plants are in specific phenological stages (i.e., peak flower, 90% leaf out [or 90% lack of leaf cover], fruiting, seasonal festivals, etc.), and that show dates of record. They then visit those sites when plants are experiencing those same phenophases and take pictures to compare the past and present timing of seasonal events.

Investigations in Phenology

Lesson plan
Grades 9-12
Outdoor

Conduct this activity before students are introduced to data collection using the Nature’s Notebook observation protocols. This activity will familiarize students with some of the main phenophases present on select species during certain times throughout the school year.

Traducido por Viviana Beltran

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