Enlisting citizen scientists to track climate change

RELEASE: March 27, 2009 – Volume XLI, No. 13

Scientists have long noted seasonal climate change impacts on animals and plants. New studies aim to use this information to expand our understanding of global climate change, but beg the question: Is it too little, too late?

What most of us observe casually through the seasons – new leaves on trees, flowers opening, birds migrating, the emergence of insects and much more – are actually the subject of the science of “phenology.” Phenology tracks cyclic behavior among plants and animals. These behaviors can be used as ways to measure climate variations, and are relatively easy to see and record.

Here are some examples: Phenology can be used to monitor drought, assess wildfire risks, and control invasive species and pests. It can also flag things that might be going haywire in our ecosystems.

So if trees start blossoming earlier than usual, the insects that pollinate them might not be active yet and the pollination opportunities lost! Similarly, out-of-sync natural cycles can be serious to migrating birds if a critical food supply is gone before they arrive, placing the migrating population in jeopardy.

All around the world, scientists are observing the timing of nature. The U.S.A. National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) was formed to gather and integrate plant and animal data from around the country, and analyze it in the context of short- and long-term climate forecasts. The network includes a broad range of government agencies and academic institutions, as well as student and citizen scientists.

A similar effort, Project BudBurst, enlists students, gardeners and other citizen scientists to enter their observations about when plants near their homes bud, flower and leaf into an online database.

Maybe data collection efforts like this in the 1950s or 60s would have detected some of early warning signs about climate change. By now, all the data in the world may not prevent climate change from marching on.

And earlier knowledge of climate change wouldn’t have affected another serious threat to our ecosystems – the fragmentation, or breaking up, of natural landscapes to make way for roads and buildings. Dr. Emile DeVito, New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s Director of Science and Stewardship, observes that human conversion of open space has done considerable harm to native plants and animals.

But initiatives like USA-NPN and Project BudBurst can help everyday people get directly involved in natural science. This builds a wider appreciation for our environment, greater understanding of the challenges we face – and maybe more support for conservation.

And, as DeVito notes, “We need to do more of what we already do – preserve land and functional ecosystems now, stop sprawl all over the planet, and restore ecosystems and re-connect them - like riverside forests to oceans and estuaries.”

If you would like to participate in USA-NPN activities, check their website at www.usanpn.org for more information. For information about Project BudBurst, go to www.budburst.org. And I hope you will consult NJCF’s website at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org, if you would like more information about conserving New Jersey’s precious land and natural resources.

Return to SWI Columns