How to use Nature’s Notebook Workshop, Region 3 March 6, 2015

1. How to use Nature’s Notebook Workshop, Region 3 March 6, 2015 Erin Posthumus Liaison to USFWS, Outreach Associate LoriAnne Barnett Education Coordinator

2. Outline • Phenology and resource management • USA-NPN protocols and data information system • Steps for getting started with Nature’s Notebook • Nature’s Notebook on the NWRS

3. “Phenology, in short, is a ‘horizontal science’ which transects all ordinary biological professions. Whoever sees the land as a whole is likely to have an interest in it.” Aldo Leopold

4. Phenological Changes in the Midwest • Early spring species blooming even earlier • Walleye spawning earlier • Short-distance migrant birds arriving earlier What are some other changes you have noticed? Photo: natures pics, Wikimedia commons

5. Phenology Informs Resource Management • Changes in phenology are recognized as some of the most sensitive biological responses to climate change • Phenology information is a crucial component of the resource management toolbox • Abundance and distribution of species • Functioning of ecosystems (e.g. carbon cycling) • Ecosystem services (e.g. pollination) Enquist et al. 2014 Int J Biometeorol

6. Phenology Informs Resource Management • Timing of emergence, migration, blooming, and more • Consequences of trophic mismatch • Spread of invasive species Photos: Brian F. Powell

7. Phenology Informs Resource Management • Timing of emergence, migration, blooming, and more • Consequences of trophic mismatch • Spread of invasive species Phenological synchrony and overlap of ruby-throated hummingbird and flowering of 9 plant species Kellermann et al 2014, Phenological Synchrony and Bird Migration

8. English Oak Winter Moth Pied Flycatcher • Phenology and Climate Change • Research, spring timing and range • A three-way mismatch EARLIER EARLIER SAME TIME EACH YEAR Both et al. 2006 Nature

9. Phenology Informs Resource Management • Timing of emergence, migration, blooming, and more • Consequences of trophic mismatch • Spread of invasive species Chapman et al 2014, Global Change Biology

10. Phenology monitoring on the NWRS • Phenology data collected and stored, but not often used • Different protocols used throughout the Refuge system • Data collected infrequently, on a small scale due to staff constraints

11. USA-NPN – A National Phenology Framework • Colocated data for multiple taxa and phenophases using nationally standardized protocols • Georeferencedobservation stations on and off Refuges - landscape-level context • Documentation through standards of practice • Data terms of use policy • Long-term program fosters collaboration with other organizations

12. Management goals/ science questions Data collected through other method Data collected through Nature’s Notebook National Phenology Database Reports, publications, other deliverables Management decisions Outreach and engagement

13. Status Status & Abundance Types of Phenology Data Collected • Status monitoring (presence and absence of phenology stages) Activity Reproduction Development Event Day of year

14. Types of Phenology Data Collected • Status monitoring (presence and absence of phenology stages) • For birds, mammals, fish, insects, reptiles & amphibians: • Species presence and abundance measurements • Multiple life cycle stages (eggs, young individuals, adults) • Reproductive activity • Feeding activity • For wildflowers & forbs, deciduous frees & shrubs, evergreen trees & shrubs, grasses, sedges & rushes: • Leafing (leaf buds, full leaves, colored leaves) • Flowering (flower buds, open flowers, pollen release) • Fruiting (fruits and ripe fruits, fruit drop) • Intensity measurements

15. Types of data collected through USA-NPN USA-NPN green wave campaign

16. Types of data collected through USA-NPN Audubon Starr Ranch

17. Types of data collected through USA-NPN Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge

18. Outline • Phenology and resource management • USA-NPN protocols and data information system • Steps for getting started with Nature’s Notebook • Nature’s Notebook on the NWRS

19. USA-NPN A national network of integrated phenological observations across space and time. Primary goals Observe phenological events Understand how plants, animals & landscapes respond to climate change. Create a standardized dataset for use in multiple types of research. Mission Make phenology data, models and related information available to scientists, resource managers and the public. Encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to observe and record phenology.

20. Ground-based, multi-taxa, national-scale observing system • Organism-based - status (presence/absence) - abundance or intensity • Standard protocols - vetted & published - 1000+ species (plant + animal) • 8 data pubs to date Denny et al., Intl J Biomet 2014 www.usanpn.org/natures_notebook

21. ~4,500 active observers • ~7,000 active sites • 4.6M+ records • Lilac data from 1956 • Many taxa from 2009

22. Other groups in the area using Nature’s Notebook • Minnesota Phenology Network – www.usanpn.org/mnpn • Schaeffer Prairie Preserve • Pipestone National Monument • St. Olaf College • Belwin Outdoor Science • Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

23. Data infrastructure • Vetted protocols for over 1000 species

24. ANIMAL Reproduction Activity Development Method • Male combat • Mating • Active individuals • Feeding • Young individuals • Dead individuals • Individuals at a feeding station PHENOPHASES PLANT Flowers Leaves Fruits • Young leaves • Leaves • Colored leaves • Flowers or flower buds • Open flowers …How Many? • Ripe fruits • Recent seed or fruit drop

25. YES • NO • ?

26. Leaves Flowers Photo: Ellen G Denny Fruits red maple

27. Do you see…open flowers? Photo: Derek Ramsey via Wikimedia Commons Open flowers : One or more open, fresh flowers are visible on the plant. Flowers are considered "open" when the reproductive parts (male stamens or female pistils) are visible between or within unfolded or open flower parts (petals, floral tubes or sepals). Do not include wilted or dried flowers. For Cornusflorida, ignore the four large, white bracts and watch for the opening of the small flowers in the center of the bracts.

28. Do you see…..Flowers or Flower Buds? Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1000 1001 to 10,000 More than 10,000 Select the most appropriate bin Write the bin on the line What percentage of all fresh flowers are open? Less than 5% 5% - 24% 25% - 49% 50% - 74% 75% - 94% 95% or more Select the most appropriate bin Write the bin on the line

29. Activity Reproduction Photo: P199, Wikimedia Commons Method common loon

30. Breaking leaf buds • Leaves • Colored leaves • Increasing leaf size • Fruits • Ripe Fruits • Recent fruit or seed drop • Flowers or Flower Buds • Open Flowers DECIDUOUS PLANT PHENOPHASES

31. Breaking leaf buds • Leaves • Colored leaves • Increasing leaf size • Fruits • Ripe Fruits • Recent fruit or seed drop • Flowers or Flower Buds • Open Flowers DECIDUOUS PLANT PHENOPHASES

32. Data infrastructure • Online interface and mobile applications

33. Enter Observations Online

39. Data infrastructure • Tools for Bulk Data Upload, Data Download, and Visualization

40. Data infrastructure • Tools for Bulk Data Upload, Data Download, and Visualization

41. Data infrastructure • Tools for Bulk Data Upload, Data Download, and Visualization Coming Fall 2015

42. Quality Assurance/Control Available at www.usanpn.org/pubs/reports

43. Quality Assurance • Training materials, including USGS Technology Enabled Learning Course (coming Spring 2015)

44. Quality Assurance • Species identification information • Species-specific phenophase definitions • Animal survey method and time spent reported • Phenology calendars allow users to visualize their data

45. Quality Control

46. Outline • Phenology and resource management • USA-NPN protocols and data information system • Steps for getting started with Nature’s Notebook • Nature’s Notebook on the NWRS

47. How to get started with Nature’s Notebook • Register with Nature’s Notebook • Join the USFWS group, your Region and Refuge • Develop a plan for monitoring • What are your management goals? • What will you monitor? • Who will collect data? • How often will you collect data? • Create a site or sites for your Refuge • Add animals and plants to monitor • Train staff and volunteers

48. Observation Deck

49. Nature’s Notebook Group functionality • All staff, volunteers can contribute data to sites at a Refuge • Data are tagged with Refuge, Region, and USFWS Allows you to: • Download data for your Refuge • Compare data to other Refuges • Compare data from Refuges to sites across the country

50. Nature’s Notebook Group functionality • Administrators set up sites, add plants and animals, edit sites and species