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It’s not just climate warming – artificial light is shifting phenology

Mon, Oct 24, 2022

We know plants respond when the days get longer in the spring and shorter in the fall, but what happens when it’s still light after sunset? Using data on dozens of species and hundreds of sites in the Nature’s Notebook dataset, Lin Meng and colleagues found that the presence of artificial light advances breaking leaf buds and delays leaf color change. The ecological impact of artificial light at night has not been well-documented, and it’s a great opportunity to reflect on your local landscape at night and to think about how the plants you observe might be responding.


Editable Local Phenology Program Info Sheet

You can use this editable info sheet to educate guests and volunteers about your Local Phenology Program. The first page include information about the USA-NPN and Nature's Notebook. The second page includes prompts where you can fill in information and visuals about your program. 


Phenology Snapshots

Students conduct an investigation using historical photographic records to determine whether the timing of plant phenophases has changed in their own communities. They search for old photos (indicating dates) in their family’s or town’s records that show sites where plants are in specific phenological stages (i.e., peak flower, 90% leaf out [or 90% lack of leaf cover], fruiting, seasonal festivals, etc.), and that show dates of record. They then visit those sites when plants are experiencing those same phenophases and take pictures to compare the past and present timing of seasonal events.


Investigations in Phenology

Conduct this activity before students are introduced to data collection using the Nature’s Notebook observation protocols. This activity will familiarize students with some of the main phenophases present on select species during certain times throughout the school year.

Traducido por Viviana Beltran


Bird Feeder Notebook

Students record observations and collect data about birds visiting feeder(s) outside their school. They compare their records with
historical records from local birding experts and online citizen science data sources to determine whether the timing of bird activity has shifted in their community.


Life of Corn

The following activity can be used as an introduction to the concept of phenology. It demonstrates the life cycle of a corn plant, a
plant familiar to many, putting this plant into a new perspective. The Life of Corn highlights the importance of the developmental lifecycle, something which all organisms experience in a predictable manner.