Student Water Evapotranspiration Network (SWETNET): A High School Research Experience Course between the

1. Leaf Litter Collection and analysis Bud Break timing range Heat Sums Data A S O N D J F M A M J 2009 2010 Historic Heat Sums NCSSM Research Symposium Weekend on Campus Weekend on Campus Weekend on Campus Student Water Evapotranspiration Network (SWETNET): A High School Research Experience Course between the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and Duke University. Linda, Schmalbeck1, Myra Halpin1, Connor Erwin1,2, Michael Jones1, Ariane Nabor1, Victoria Nneji1, A. Christopher Oishi3, Eric Ward3, Jean-Christophe Domec2,3, Sari Palmroth3, Christopher Maier4, Ram Oren3. 1 North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, North Carolina, USA; 2 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA 3 Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA: 4 U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Durham North Carolina, USA SWETNET Timeline Scientific Goals: The scientific goals of the SWETNET program are to create a network of sap monitoring sites at, or near, North Carolina schools where students will run the network and to collect and analyze data in the context of the larger scientific community’s work on forest transpiration and ecosystem physiology. The SWETNET sapflow measurements will be used as a proxy for the end of leaf expansion in deciduous ( Figure 1.) The distribution of sampling sites from mountain regions through the piedmont and the coastal areas will provide insight into seasonal and latitudinal variation. Introduction A well-designed project at the high school level can open the door to future educational and career opportunities. In 2008, students from the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM), a competitive entry residential public high school for 11th and 12th grade, participated in a pilot seminar supported by NCSSM faculty as well as scientists and graduate students from Duke University. The seminar opened with activities that focused on the application of a STELLA framework to model whole tree water transport and carbon allocation in trees. The method first used published measurements of sap flux performed in loblolly pine and sweetgum trees, and then collected and analyzed data from sapflow sensors installed in loblolly pine trees in an unmanaged stand on the high school grounds. The students installed a sap flux and climatic monitoring system modeled on those used at the Duke FACE site on their campus. Seminar students had to make, install, record and analyze the data to predict water use of trees growing in urban conditions. Develop collaborative research questions > >>>>>Conduct research > >>>>>>>>>Students complete research Figure 2. NCSSM Online Schools with SWETNET Schools Shown in red.. Online Research Experience Course As a natural continuation of the above activities, we have just started an NCSSM Online Research Experience course called SWETNET (Student Water EvapoTranspiration Network), which involves high school students from across the state of North Carolina.  The course is part of a larger outreach effort by NCSSM and includes students who are eligible for admission to NCSSM but that exceed the schools housing capacity. Most of their academic courses are taken at their home high schools while enrichment courses, taught by NCSSM faculty are taken online. The program includes four weekends on campus when students and instructors have extended time to work on projects face to face. SWETNET has both educational and scientific goals. The course is designed to provide scientific research experience opportunities for qualified students even those who live in remote regions of the state. The scientific goal is to create a student network with sap monitoring sites at, or near, each of their schools and collect data as part of this course.  Setting the course online represents certain challenges, but for the first time it presents a potential to generate data that so far has been available only to scientists who rely on observational data, such as sightings of birds and butterflies or determination of the timing of bud break and flowering. With this sort of network coordinated, statewide seasonal dynamics of forest transpiration can be readily followed and water and carbon uptake modeled. This modeling experience and the experience of discussing experimental design and progressing through the sensor production demonstrated that environmental studies can be adapted to instruct high school students in using cutting edge scientific research of ecosystem physiology. Figure 3: Daily fluctuations in whole tree water use (transpiration rate) for two tree species growing in a ~75 year-old naturally regenerated forested wetland along the lower coastal plain of North Carolina (Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge). The data show that the deciduous species (red maple, Acer rubrum) reached full transpiration rate (~12 kgh2otree-1day-1) by the end of April due to total leaf expansion. For comparison, the evergreen species (loblolly pine, Pinustaeda L.) maintained high transpiration rate throughout the whole measurements period during rainless days Acknowledgements We greatly appreciated the technical support of Alligator River Wildlife Refuge as well as John S. King and AskoNoormets from NC State University for letting use their study site for sap flow measurements. Figure 1. Excerpt from student presentation of preliminary data from the NCSSM SWETNET site in spring of 2009.