Greetings!
Thank you for participating in the USA National Phenology Network's first season of data collection. By observing and reporting the timing of plant life cycle events you are contributing to an exciting new effort that will provide valuable information to scientists and mangers as they work to understand and adapt to climate change. We had a great first season, and are grateful for your continued enthusiasm for the project!
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Preliminary results from spring & summer 2009
The USA-NPN's first official season of phenology monitoring began on March 2, 2009. We now have 2,200 registered observers and sites across the nation. The map to the right shows results for observers who monitored forsythia plants in spring 2009. Observers saw their first blooms on forsythia later in the year at more northern locations. While this doesn't yet tell us much about how forsythia might respond to warmer springs, it does show a good coverage and quality of data for the first season. We hope to have your observations on this and other species in 2010. Click on the map to see the full size version. Check our website for dynamic data visualizations coming this spring! |
Polly's keeps an eye on phenology...
Polly's Pancake Parlor, in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire, has been keeping an eye on leaf phenology since 1975. Here, the day the leaves started to change color is plotted against the year. Although other parts of the country are seeing leaves change color later in the year, in Sugar Hill, fall is arriving earlier than it did in 1970. With more observations
of fall color we'll be better able to understand how climate change is
impacting plants through the fall. Observers like you can help
researchers predict changes for local economies, including New
England's fall tourist season. |
