PowerPoint Presentation

Temporal Ecology Lab, Harvard UniversitySuzanne Mrozak, Volunteer CoordinatorDanny Schissler, InternCat Chamberlain, Graduate Student

OVERVIEW

The Tree Spotter StoryOur VolunteersThe NumbersGraphs and FiguresPhotosTree Spotter SongTHANK YOU!

Our StoryThe Tree Spotters Citizen Science Program started just over a year ago through Lizzie Wolkovichs Temporal Ecology Lab.The first meeting for the project was held March 25, 2015.The aim of the project is to work with local citizen scientists and collect phenological observations for 55 individual trees throughout the arboretum.Volunteers record observations for 11 different phenophases in Natures Notebook, an online portal system through the USA National Phenology Network (NPN).

Leaves:Breaking Leaf BudsLeavesIncreasing Leaf SizeColored LeavesFalling LeavesFlowers:Flowers or Flower BudsOpen FlowersFruits:FruitsRipe FruitsPHENOPHASES OBSERVED

Our Volunteers

The numbersThe first training session was held May 17, 2015.So far, there have been 179 individuals in the local community trained to Tree Spot.Of those 179 trained, 57 observers are still active today, which gives us a retention rate of 31.8%! The NPN recommends striving for a retention rate of 20%.125 Tree Spotter volunteers have registered accounts on the Natures Notebook website, giving us a success rate of 45.6% of users who have completely signed up and been trained. We are SO pleased with our volunteers!! Thank you!

Total observations and observers per tree this year

Common Name

The oaks have the fewest number of observations and observers

ObservationsAcquisition NumberNumber of ObservationsNumber of ObserversRoute and Tree Number14585*B American beech53812Beech - 114585*D American beech79717Beech - 214585*C American beech55113Beech - 314585*G American beech51411Beech - 414585*J American beech63911Beech - 51199*J River birch60812Birch - 11251-79*B River birch117618Birch - 21251-79*A River birch105019Birch - 31251-79*E River birch88518Birch - 41199*D River birch84017Birch - 512843*A Yellow birch82418Birch - 612843*D Yellow birch68716Birch - 712843*H Yellow birch76915Birch - 812843*E Yellow birch89416Birch - 9629-83*D Yellow birch88316Birch - 1012907*I Shagbark hickory3208Hickory -1 12907*G Shagbark hickory50412Hickory - 212907*B Shagbark hickory3028Hickory - 312907*D Shagbark hickory3309Hickory - 412907*N Shagbark hickory34112Hickory - 520095*A Pignut hickory3089Hickory - 66990*A Pignut hickory2697Hickory - 720098*A Pignut hickory2407Hickory - 82019*S Pignut hickory2517Hickory - 92019*R Pignut hickory47110Hickory- 10

Breakdown of Observations in 2016

Breakdown of Observations (cont.)17527*D American basswood80919Linden/North Woods - 119804*A American basswood73118Linden/North Woods - 27141*A American basswood72016Linden/North Woods - 3925-79*B Yellow buckeye114722Linden/North Woods - 412651*H Yellow buckeye73413Linden/North Woods - 512651*D Yellow buckeye69411Linden/North Woods - 612651*C Yellow buckeye52710Linden/North Woods - 7187-2006*B Sugar maple146019Maple - 122834*B Sugar maple156021Maple - 220645*A Sugar maple94417Maple - 312565*C Sugar maple110520Maple - 48197*A Northern red oak804Oak - 15859*A Northern red oak713Oak -25859*B Northern red oak753Oak - 316882*B Northern red oak693Oak - 422886*D White oak684Oak - 5227-2011*A White oak894Oak - 6358-82*A White oak804Oak - 721815*E White oak1066Oak - 811253*A Northern red oak894Oak - 9 1323-82*A American basswood112419Peter's Hill - 116611*F Eastern cottonwood77613Peter's Hill - 216611*J Eastern cottonwood77915Peter's Hill - 316611*K Eastern cottonwood77813Peter's Hill - 416611*O Eastern cottonwood90617Peter's Hill - 522099*A Eastern cottonwood108821Peter's Hill - 6689-2010*A Sugar maple87716Peter's Hill - 7611-2010*A White oak86016Peter's Hill - 812651*I Yellow buckeye78517Peter's Hill - 917538*A American basswood108715Peter's Hill - 10

Acquisition NumberNumber of ObservationsNumber of ObserversRoute and Tree Number

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Aesculus flava (Yellow Buckeye)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Betula alleghaniensis (Yellow Birch)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Betula nigra (River Birch)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Cayra glabra (Pignut Hickory)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Cayra ovata (Shagbark Hickory)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Fagus grandifolia (American Beech)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Populus deltoides (Eastern Cottonwood)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Quercus alba (White Oak)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Quercus rubra (Red Oak)

Comparing Observations 2015 to 2016: Tilia americana (American Basswood)

As of Monday, July 12, 2016Tree Spotters have recorded47,798 observations in Natures Notebook!

Common NameBreaking Leaf Buds: Date the first Yes was recorded for each individual tree

The Eastern Cottonwood exhibited the greatest intraspecific variation*

Common NameBreaking Leaf Buds: Date the first Yes was recorded for each individual tree*Intraspecific Variation: variation occurring within species, i.e. between individuals of the same species

Common Name

Flowers or flower buds:Date the first Yes was recorded for each individual treeCommon Name

Common Namefruits:Date the first Yes was recorded for each individual tree

Photographs from our flickr sitehttps://www.flickr.com/groups/arnold_arboretum_tree_spotters/American BeechShagbark Hickory

Yellow BuckeyeRiver Birch

American BasswoodYellow Birch

Spotting together:Written and performed by Brian and katie cartwrightSpotting Together (to the tune of So Happy Together by the Turtles, 1967)Me and you, and you and me.Were walking and we see a tree, a big beech tree.We see a sign and wonder, Oh, what could that be?Were Spotting Together!Well go up Peters Hill, we will.Well stroll under the big blue sky, like Jack and Jill.Its all about phenology; well get our fill.Were Spotting Together.Arnold Arboretum, Tree Spotting we goAll round the grounds.We see more each time that we get up and goAll round the grounds.Hickory nuts youll find beneath your feet.Theyre good to eat, the meat is sweet a tasty treat.A simple pleasure. Oh what fun. They cant be beat.Were Spotting Together!Well see the sugar maple trees and the red oaksAs were observing with the fine Tree Spotter folks.Well talk about our trees and maybe crack some jokesWere Spotting Together.Arnold Arboretum, Tree Spotting we goAll round the grounds.We see more each time that we get up and goAll round the grounds.Well see the linden trees (dont sneeze).They say theyre very popular with all the bees.The buckeyes are a lucky charm, the birches please.Were Spotting Together.Were Spotting Together.Enjoying the weather.Tree Spotting Together. (Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba)Yes Spotting Together. (Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba)Spotting Together. (Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba)Were Spotting Together. (Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba)Yes Spotting Together. (Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba)Tree Spotting Spotting Together. (Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba)

Thank you, Volunteers, for being so dedicated.There is no way we could do this without you.