NETNPhenology
Importance / IssuesBiotic responses to climate change will likely be one of the most important conservation issues in the coming decades. By establishing baselines of phenological indictors in the NETN parks, we should be able to document biotic responses to climate change. By monitoring phenological indicators in addition to climate variables, NETN would gain insight into the early impacts of climate change upon functioning ecosystems, including how different species may respond differently to climate change and how these differences may alter ecological relationships and perhaps ecosystem function. Although current funds will limit implementation of a phenology vital sign, we will build on the planned phenology project for the Appalachian Trail, and we hope to implement a rapid assay approach that can incorporate significant contributions from citizen volunteers. Implementing the phenology vital sign would draw upon existing protocols and standards of the European phenology network, the GLOBE program, and the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program. Protocol Development & StatusThe Northeast Temperate Network will be developing a protocol for this vital sign in the near future. The preliminary Phenology Protocol Development Summary is available at this time. Potential MeasuresEstablish baseline for and monitor trends for the following dates: leaf-out; flowering; bird arrival; butterfly and insect emergence; invasive plant emergence. |
 Preliminary Monitoring ObjectivePreliminary monitoring objectives for this protocol are:
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ReferencesNone Presently Available |