News & Publications | USA National Phenology Network

Changing climate poses a greater threat to some species partnerships than others

Tue, Feb 24, 2015

Publication Summary

Most scientific studies that have looked at mismatch have focused solely on relationships between plants and their pollinators. This study takes a step back, and instead of looking at the impact of mismatches, looks at the causes. The authors determine what it is about mutualistic partnerships that make them more likely to experience mismatch.

Warmer winters may delay budburst and favor pioneer and invasive species

Tue, Nov 25, 2014

Publication Summary

Increasing winter temperatures could cause a delay in the onset of budburst, as well as a change in the order of when species undergo budburst. This means that in a warmer world, we could see pioneer and invasive species having an even higher advantage, which could result in decreased biodiversity and a more uniform landscape.

New models incorporating Nature’s Notebook data predict when leaves will change color in the fall

Thu, Aug 21, 2014

Publication Summary

There has thus far been no clear agreement on whether autumn phenology events such as leaf color are more influenced by day length or temperature in temperate systems. The authors found that both have an influence.

Phenology helps to predict the expansion of extremely allergenic ragweed

Tue, Jun 10, 2014

Publication Summary

Temperature and daylight length strongly influence the range of ragweed, an invasive weed. Ragweed can only reproduce in areas where its seeds can mature before the winter frost. This means that as the climate warms, ragweed will be able to grow in more places.

Lilacs showed very early activity in 2012

Wed, Jan 15, 2014

News

Dedicated volunteers have been tracking the phenology of cloned and common lilacs for decades, and these observations have been invaluable in documenting plant responses to changing spring conditions. In 2012, we launched a campaign to garner more commitment among Nature's Notebook participants to tracking lilacs.

Deciduous trees may leaf out weeks earlier under future warming

Wed, Jan 15, 2014

Publication Summary

Warming temperatures are prompting many trees in temperate regions to put on leaves in the spring earlier than they have in the past. Climate change models predict continued warming of up to several degrees C by 2100. A team of researchers at Princeton University, led by David Medvigy, developed a nuanced model to predict the timing of leaf-out in the future.

Data from Nature’s Notebook are bringing landscape change into focus in Alaska

Wed, Jan 15, 2014

Publication Summary

Spring leaf-out phenology observations have proven valuable in predicting how arctic plant communities may change in coming decades. Models used to predict changes in plant communities have traditionally taken phenology into account, but have used a single date for leaf-out averaged across all plant species. As participants in Nature’s Notebook know first-hand, the timing of leaf-out varies by species.

A Milestone Reached: One Million Records in USA-NPN Database!

Mon, May 07, 2012

News

We reached one million observation records in the database on Monday, April 30, 2012! That's one million standardized records on the status of a phenophase for a plant or animal, collected by participants in Nature's Notebook, citizen and professional scientists across the nation.

In Memory of Joseph Caprio (1923-2011)

Mon, Oct 31, 2011

News

Joe Caprio initiated the first spatially extensive phenology monitoring in the United States. As a professor in the College of Agriculture at Montana State University, he collaborated with agricultural experiment stations in the 1950s to employ phenology to characterize seasonal weather patterns and improve predictions of crop yield. This project eventually included around 2,500 volunteer observers distributed throughout 12 Western states.

The USA National Phenology Network is looking for participants to help shape the new Nature's Notebook data collection app. Join our Participant Pool!

Changing climate poses a greater threat to some species partnerships than others

Warmer winters may delay budburst and favor pioneer and invasive species

New models incorporating Nature’s Notebook data predict when leaves will change color in the fall

Phenology helps to predict the expansion of extremely allergenic ragweed

Lilacs showed very early activity in 2012

Deciduous trees may leaf out weeks earlier under future warming

Data from Nature’s Notebook are bringing landscape change into focus in Alaska

A Milestone Reached: One Million Records in USA-NPN Database!

In Memory of Joseph Caprio (1923-2011)

Nature's Notebook

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