Integrating Science into the Community

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• Integrating Science into the Community

Citizen Scientists help Scientists discover how
Climate Change affects nature
PlantWatch, Citizen Scientists, Climate Change
and what it means to Nova Scotia How YOU and your
KIDS can get involved
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What is a scientist?
Traditionally images such as this may come to
mind
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Not all scientists wear lab coats!
Citizen scientists Integrating science into the
community
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• Benefits of Citizen Scientist programs
  (in the eyes of Environment Canada)
• track trends data on local, regional and
  national levels
• educate and empower community members of all ages
• improve partnerships and networks within
  communities
• increase knowledge in individuals and raise
  awareness in society overall
• free data collection and monitoring

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Benefits of PlantWatch in my eyes

• The Average 8-year old is better able to identify
  Pokéman than native wildlife species in their own
  backyard
• Pikachu Metapod Wigglytuff
• vs.
• Otter Beetle Oak tree
• Research shows exposure to nature is essential
  for physical and emotional health
• Playing outside reduced symptoms of ADHD,
  improved cognitive abilities and improved
  resistance to negative stresses and depression
• Loss of senses has occurred with onset of
  technology
• A nature and child reunion is needed PlantWatch
  can help!
• Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv, Algonquin
  Books 2005

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What is PlantWatch?
Joint Effort
institutions/organizations in all 13
provinces/territories Purpose involves
Canadians of all ages in the observation of
nature helps scientists discover how and why
plants are being affected by climate
change encourages stewardship and respect for
nature, raises awareness of science and the
environment
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What do PlantWatch citizen
scientists do?
Go outside in spring and observe first and
mid bloom dates of flowers leafing out dates
of trees record this information on a simple
form report their findings to the PlantWatch
website
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Who looks at the PlantWatch data?
Researchers across Canada studying climate change
and phenology
Liette Vassieur, Robert L. Guscott, Petra J.
Mudie. 2001 Monitoring of Spring Flower Phenology
in Nova Scotia Comparison over the last century.
Humboldt Field Research Institute Northeastern
Naturalist 8(4)393-402 Elisabeth Beaubien. 2003
Plant Phenology in Western Canada Trends and
links to the view from Space. EMAN Environmental
Assessment and Monitoring Journal. Volume 88 Nos.
1-3 Melanie Priesnitz 2010? Plant Phenology in
Nova Scotia data trends from 1810-2010. . .
any researchers interested in collaborating . . .

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Phenology
Phrenology
Phenology The recording of data pertaining to
the natural world and how it is affected by
climatic conditions. Swedish born botanist
and father of plant taxonomy, Carl Linneaus
was one of the first in the world to begin
recording phenology in the 1700s.
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NS School kids in the 1920s recorded
phenological events
Dr. Alexander Howard McKay, Superintendent of
Schools NS 1900s, decided every school child
should become a naturalist! For 23 years school
kids recorded over 200 natural events annually.
We still have the data today!
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How Citizen Scientists record phenology
Select a site watch same site each
year Mark your territory so you dont
forget Get outside watch spring
happen Record the data the form is simple
Send in via mail/internet youre done (until
next year)
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• PlantWatch Observation Form
• Name of Plant ___________________________________
  __
• Flowering Phase
• First Bloom (month/day/year) ____________________
  ______
• Mid Bloom (month/day/year) _____________________
  _____
• Leafing
• Leafing (month/day/year) ________________________
  _____
• Plant Location
• Location Name _____________________________
• Closest city or town ___________________________
  __
• Province/Territory __________________________
  ___
• Latitude ___ ___ ___ N Longitude __ __
  __ W
• Elevation (if known) ___________(metres)
• Habitat Type
• Deciduous forest Marsh, bog, wetland
• Coniferous forest Farmland
• Mixed forest Residential garden/lawn
• Tundra/barren Schoolyard

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How to start PlantWatching

Go to http//www.plantwatch.ca Click on submit
observations and register yourself as an
observer http//botanicalgardens.acadiau.ca
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By getting involved with PlantWatch you will
Be a part of history Learn about plants

and nature Get outside for fresh
air
exercise Help scientists to
understand
affects
of climate change Learn about science
and the environment, teach others Become more
observant of the world around you Have fun and
spend time with friends, family, colleagues
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15 Species to Watch in NS
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)    Also
known as pis-en-lit in French Bloom time April
June sporadically throughout
season General Common plant, introduced to
Canada from Europe for food and
medicine. Medicinal Properties Root used as
coffee substitute, spring leaves used as salad
greens, flowers made into wine Learn to love and
use dandelions theyre here to stay
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Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)    Also
known as crackerberry, dwarf cornel Bloom
time May - June General Low, woodland plant,
grows in patches. Flowers Fruits Flowers are
tiny and green or cream-coloured, each plant has
a single cluster with four showy white bracts
that look like petals. The fruits are red
berries that appear later in the summer. The
flowers exhibit explosive pollination!
Rodger Evans
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Larch (Larix laricina) Also known as
tamarack, hackmatack Bloom time April - May
General Medium-sized conifer grows up to 20 m
tall. Larch is our only native conifer that sheds
its needles annually. Flowers Fruits Male and
female cones can appear on the same branches,
observe male cones only for PlantWatch. Male
cones small, less noticeable mounds of
yellow-brown pollen sacs that wither and fall
after shedding pollen. Female cones
pinkish-purple mini-cones about 1 cm long.
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NS PlantWatch Data collected to date
Julian dates 110April 20 130May 10 160June 9
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We all love talking about the weather but nobody
does anything about it Mark Twain Were not only
talking about the weather
but now were actually having an affect on
it Humans activities such as burning fossil fuels
are causing our climate to
change Increased greenhouse gases global
warming You can help Become a PlantWatch
Citizen Scientists help
researchers discover how
climate change is affecting plants
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• What is Climate Change?

Climate Change a recorded change in long
term weather patterns refers to increases and
decreases of average temperatures change in
annual amounts of rainfall or snowfall overall
change in the number and strength of
storms Since the beginning of the 20th century,
Earth's mean surface temperature has increased by
about 1.1F (0.6C) Union of Concerned
Scientists Citizens and Scientist for
Environmental Solutions
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Trend towards Global Warming

• Global Warming The accelerated warming of the
  earths atmosphere.

Models show there could be an increase of
2.5-10.4F (1.4- 5.8C) by 2100. During the
end of the last Ice Age, temperatures were 5-
9F cooler than today and the Northeast United
States was covered by more than 3,000 feet of
ice. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
IPCC
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Atlantic Canada Climate Change

• Atlantic Canada may not see the same warming as
  central, western, and northern Canada, however
  predictions show that secondary effects may be
  particularly significant
• rising sea levels
• extreme weather events
• more severe storms
• coastal erosion
• changes in rainfall patterns
• insect pests over-wintering
• increased forest fires

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Will plant and animal communities be able to
adapt quickly enough to survive ? ? ?
In Summary Climate change could have a wide
range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans
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Will kids in 2050 be too busy trading Pokéman
cards to notice our native species depleting? ?
? ?