NatureWatch programNatureWatch program

Plantwatch Canada: an example to Plantwatch Canada: an example to integrate research activities in schoolintegrate research activities in school

What is monitoring?What is monitoring?

Monitoring is repeated measurements of a Monitoring is repeated measurements of a variable in time to determine its change over variable in time to determine its change over timetime

In environmental monitoring, we measure In environmental monitoring, we measure variables that can describe the « health » of the variables that can describe the « health » of the ecosystemecosystem

How can we get involved?How can we get involved?

Very simple ways… observations and Very simple ways… observations and discoveriesdiscoveries

NatureWatch programsNatureWatch programs Measurements of phenological eventsMeasurements of phenological events

Phenology : the study of the seasonal timing of Phenology : the study of the seasonal timing of life cycle events in plants and animals. life cycle events in plants and animals. Historical phenology records can provide Historical phenology records can provide evidence of the effects of climate changes over evidence of the effects of climate changes over time.time.

Main goals of NatureWatchMain goals of NatureWatch

Promoting understanding of natural Promoting understanding of natural resources and ecosystems for better resources and ecosystems for better sustainable usesustainable use

Enhancing public awareness of the Enhancing public awareness of the Canadian environmentCanadian environment

Facilitating public participation and local Facilitating public participation and local community involvementcommunity involvement

Why phenology?Why phenology?

Most events in the spring and late fall can be Most events in the spring and late fall can be sensitive to changes in climatic conditions. sensitive to changes in climatic conditions.

The assumption in the northern hemisphere is The assumption in the northern hemisphere is that with climate change, temperatures in the that with climate change, temperatures in the spring will be warm faster than in previous spring will be warm faster than in previous decades. decades.

Consequences, biological and environmental Consequences, biological and environmental events will be happening faster too.events will be happening faster too.

Some speciesSome species

How monitoring programs like How monitoring programs like PlantWatch help attain PlantWatch help attain

environmental attitudes and actionsenvironmental attitudes and actions

Provide hands-on experience of collecting Provide hands-on experience of collecting data about the environmentdata about the environment

Educate students to understand and appreciate Educate students to understand and appreciate the environment, how it is related to our the environment, how it is related to our healthhealth

Provide extensive environmental data that can Provide extensive environmental data that can be used to further investigate and discuss our be used to further investigate and discuss our roles and impacts in our environmentroles and impacts in our environment

Curriculum connectionsCurriculum connections

Sciences: ecology, plants, classification, Sciences: ecology, plants, classification, measurements, data, research skills, climate changemeasurements, data, research skills, climate change

Geography: environment, mapping, data, issues, Geography: environment, mapping, data, issues, climateclimate

Maths: computer applications, statisticsMaths: computer applications, statistics Technology: meaurements, mappingTechnology: meaurements, mapping History: past history, record finding, data through History: past history, record finding, data through

timetime Language: writing up reports, communication, text Language: writing up reports, communication, text

information, reading of historical informationinformation, reading of historical information

ActivitiesActivities

Will vary in function of the:Will vary in function of the: Grade (K-12)Grade (K-12) School location (urban versus rural)School location (urban versus rural) InterestsInterests Topics (e.g. history, mathematics, geography, etc.)Topics (e.g. history, mathematics, geography, etc.)

Some examples of activitiesSome examples of activities In ecology: flowers In ecology: flowers

partsparts

Note: bunchberry flowers are inside the bracts, i.e. the white bract are not the petals!

Flower buds and temperatureFlower buds and temperature Science: To show how temperature can influence the Science: To show how temperature can influence the

opening of the flowers!opening of the flowers!

Give to each student a flower in bud (rose or Give to each student a flower in bud (rose or carnation).carnation).

Divide the class into 4 groups for different Divide the class into 4 groups for different temperature conditions:temperature conditions: Cold water in the roomCold water in the room Cold water in a cold roomCold water in a cold room Room temperature water Room temperature water Warm water (not too hot!)Warm water (not too hot!)

Each student monitors the opening of their flower.Each student monitors the opening of their flower.

Planting bulbs for Easter!Planting bulbs for Easter!

Science: Again: to examine the influence of Science: Again: to examine the influence of temperature on plant growthtemperature on plant growth

Each student receives a bulb to plant in a small Each student receives a bulb to plant in a small pot of soil and decides where the pot will be. pot of soil and decides where the pot will be. Some are in cool places, some along the Some are in cool places, some along the windows, some in the shade, etc. windows, some in the shade, etc.

The students monitor which plants are growing The students monitor which plants are growing faster.faster.

Data can be entered on computer and analysed. Data can be entered on computer and analysed.

Bunchberry: geography and Bunchberry: geography and distributiondistribution

Tiny insects can trigger an explosive opening of mature bunchberry flowers, and are showered with pollen as they fly away.

Signs of Spring Survey Questionnaire Social studies: To find out how local people identify

the arrival of spring and to discover when local people expect seasonal events will occur.

1. Please complete this sentence as many times as you wish.“I know that winter is over when ...”

2. Please complete this sentence as many times as you wish.“I know that spring is here when ...”

3. What are the signs of spring here in April? 4. What are the signs of spring here in May? 5. What things do you do in the spring, and how do

you know when to do them?

MathematicsMathematics

Growing Degree Summation (GDS)

Skills: Addition, division, graphing, use of Centigrade temperature scale

Needs: daily newspaper with temperature records, if available, graph paper, and calculator (optional)

Then, follow the recipe to calculate the GDS

Example

High or maximum temperature 15°C Low or minimum temperature 3°C Average temperature 15°C + 3°C =

18°C ÷ 2 = 9°C Degree summation above 5°C: 9°C- 5°C = 4 GDS on

this date

Question: The plant was in full bloom late on May 7th. What was the total GDS needed to reach full flowering?

InvolvementInvolvement

Discussion :Discussion : What do you think will happen if the What do you think will happen if the

temperatures warm faster?temperatures warm faster? What do you think will happen if we have What do you think will happen if we have

frost after a warm period?frost after a warm period? How will the ecosystem change over time if How will the ecosystem change over time if

we have more extreme events (like late we have more extreme events (like late frosts)?frosts)?

What do you think will happen to fruit What do you think will happen to fruit production such as strawberries and apples?production such as strawberries and apples?

Linking to othersLinking to others

Sharing of activities, experience and data Sharing of activities, experience and data through different systems such as the through different systems such as the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network and NatureWatch but also exploring Network and NatureWatch but also exploring other sites with the students.other sites with the students.

NatureServe NatureServe www.natureserve.orgwww.natureserve.org

““An Online Encyclopedia of Life” -- data on 50,000+ An Online Encyclopedia of Life” -- data on 50,000+ plants, animals, and ecological communities of U.S. plants, animals, and ecological communities of U.S. and Canadaand Canada

Searchable database available free to the public via the Searchable database available free to the public via the InternetInternet

Includes conservation status, distribution maps, life Includes conservation status, distribution maps, life histories, conservation needs, and more histories, conservation needs, and more

County and watershed-level data being developedCounty and watershed-level data being developed Precise occurrence locations excluded to protect Precise occurrence locations excluded to protect

sensitive species sensitive species

Here are a few actions encouraged Here are a few actions encouraged by this program by this program

examining and monitoring their environment,examining and monitoring their environment, planting one of the species in the schoolyard,planting one of the species in the schoolyard, sharing their knowledge,sharing their knowledge, involving others in similar programs.involving others in similar programs.

The main points are to :The main points are to :

understand that we are all part of the problem understand that we are all part of the problem AND the solution,AND the solution,

show that small actions can count and show that small actions can count and contribute to the environment,contribute to the environment,

have fun learning about our environment: we have fun learning about our environment: we are part of it!are part of it!