Alyssa Rosemartin SNRE, University of Arizona Assistant Director & IT Coordinator for USA-NPN

1. Tucson Audubon Society Living With Nature Series Tracking Seasonal Patterns in the Sonoran Desert Alyssa Rosemartin SNRE, University of Arizona Assistant Director & IT Coordinator for USA-NPN

4. May Larreatridentata- Creosote

5. June Carnegieagigantea Saguaro White-winged dove and Lesser long-nosed bat

6. July Prosopisveluntina Velvet mesquite

7. August Punicagranatum Pomegranate

8. September Several Opuntia species Prickly Pear Cactus

9. October Cucurbitadigitata Coyote gourd

10. November Simmondsiachinensis Jojoba

11. December Citrusx paradisi Grapefruit

12. January Caryaillinoinensis Pecan

13. February Phoradendroncalifornicum Desert mistletoe Phainopepla

14. March Eschscholziacalifornica California poppy

15. April Cirsiumarizonicum Arizona thistle Lesser goldfinch

16. Why do we see these patterns? • Something in the environment triggers plants to put on leaves, flowers and fruits, could be: • Rainfall • Temperature • Day length • Soil moisture • Climate change is already changing rainfall and temps around the country – how is it impacting the plants and animals here? • So, let’s look at our current patterns…

17. Sunlight and warmth Tucson, Arizona Washington DC

18. Rain and humidity Tucson, Arizona Washington DC

19. Variation in space

20. Variation in time

21. Predicting later flowering with warmer May temps Species: Baccharispilularis(Coyotebrush) Site means reported from sites across California : GOGA-(15 sites), REDW-(5 sites), SAMO-(8 sites) Climate data obtained from PRISM website: prismmap.nacse.org/nn/ 2012: Onset of Open Flowers R2 = 0.67 y = 4.77x + 162.4 p < 0.0001 N=18 sites Prediction for Baccharispilularis : Warmer temperatures should result in delayed flowering. Slide courtesy of Susan Mazer

22. Nature’s Notebook Photo credit: L. Barnett A multi-taxa, national-scale Plant and animal phenology observation program Standardized protocols Web and mobile apps for data entry Data download and visualization 3,000 observers reporting on 650 plant and 250 animal species Nature’s Notebook is for scientists, naturalists, volunteers, land managers, park rangers, and YOU!

23. Do you see… fruit? One or more fruits are visible on the plant. 

24. Do you see… ripe fruit? One or more fruits are visible on the plant. 

25. Do you see… fruit/ripe fruit? One or more fruits are visible on the plant.  Yes for fruit No for ripe fruit • Fruit: For Acer rubrum, the fruit is two joined seeds in a "V" shape, each seed having a wing, that changes from green or red to tan or brownish and drops from the plant‘ • Ripe Fruit: or Acer rubrum, a fruit is considered ripe when it has turned tan or brownish and readily drops from the plant when touched

26. Getting started in Nature’s Notebook https://www.usanpn.org/user/register

27. Getting started in Nature’s Notebook

29. Nature’s Notebook mobile apps Free for Android and iPhone devices Works without internet/data coverage

30. Map, animate and graph data Poll www.usanpn.org/data/visualizations

31. Phenology trails A phenology trail is a network of Nature’s Notebook observation sites, which usually share species, a research and engagement goals. Photo credit: L. Barnett Photo credit: L. Barnett Photo credit: L. Barnett Photo credit: L. Barnett

32. Tucson Phenology Trail • Includes sites at: • Oracle State Park • Biosphere 2 • Tucson Audubon Mason Center • University of Arizona Campus • Tucson Botanical Garden • Agua Caliente Park • Sweetwater Wetlands • Pima Extension Offices • Santa Rita Experimental Range • Several neighborhood associations and schools.

33. Tucson Audubon Mason Center Looking for a team of volunteers to collect phenology data throughout the year Contact Bete Jones bjones@tucsonaudubon.org 520-209-1812

34. Ways to get involved • Observe plant and animal phenology with Nature’s Notebook • Join the Tucson Phenology Trail – Mason Center site • Volunteer harvesting fruit with Iskashitaa • Keep a yard or garden journal or photo log • Take a Master Gardener class

35. Thank you! • Alyssa Rosemartin • alyssa@usanpn.org

37. USA National Phenology Network Primary goal Understand how plants, animals & landscapes respond to climatic variation and change. Create a standardized dataset to support 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. A national network of integrated phenological observations across space and time. Photo credit: C. Enquist

38. Why do we care about phenology? Flu season Wildfires Festivals Ecotourism Pests & Diseases Allergies Slide courtesy of S. Mazer Agriculture Invasions

39. Observing change over time I observed an unusual circumstance this spring on the foothill of Moscow Mountain, northern Idaho, elev. 3000‘.I have been monitoring the arrival of hummers for many years here--they range in arrival from early to late April. Usually the Calliope is first, followed by the Rufous. Over the last few years, the Rufous have been either arriving at the same time or before the Calliope. This year the two were nearly simultaneous on Apr. 23. About a week later I spotted the Black Chinned--usually not often seen, and never before late June/July (followed in late summer by the Broadtailed).

40. Structuring observations April 23, 2012

41. Comparing regionally

42. Phenology in the Tucson Basin Proportion of positive reports for flowering (top) and leafing (bottom) by month (Nov 2012-Oct 2013), and rainfall events in inches from the Historic Climate Network.