Nature Net News
April
2006
Phenology
"Spring has returned.
The Earth is like a child that knows poems."
Rainer Maria Rilke
Dear Reader, Remember the excitement of seeing the first tulip bloom? It's a sure sign of more changes to come! The study of nature’s seasonal changes from year to year – phenology – has been a preoccupation of mankind for ages! Every year, observers record the first lilac bloom, the return of the geese, the first strawberry to ripen - and predict changes in our environment. By tracking these seasonal occurrences, and comparing with others and from year to year, gives us incite into our world. This month's Nature Net News gives you an idea of what phenology is in "Instant Outdoor Expert", how to do it with "Tricks of the Trail" and how you can contribute your observations to an on-line database with our virtual "Featured Site", Earth Alive! Kathe & Betsy |
Scientists who have tracked and studied the seasons since 1955, have found the arrival of spring is occurring 1.2 days earlier per decade.
What to
Do This Month:
Celebrate Earth Day
- April 22nd by picking up trash in your neighborhood or local Nature net
site
Be observant of all the spring occurrences outdoors
Learn about the National Environmental Education Week, celebrated April 16-22
Check out family events at area Nature Net sites!
Tricks of the Trail for
Parents:
Observation Station
The easiest way to record observations with kids is to be “wide
open” to their observations! You
might be looking for the first tulip or robin, but they will notice all
kinds of spring happenings! Each
time you head out to the park or even the backyard, create an index card for
each child and record the date, weather, and their spring observation –
whatever it is! At the end of
the day, share your observations on Nature Net's Earth Alive website. At the
end of the season, stash your index cards for next year, so you can
compare the date and weather conditions of the same observations from year
to year.
Instant Outdoor Expert:
What is phenology?
Any word
ending in "-ology" means, "the study of"
(think Biology or Ecology). In this case ("phaino"
means "to show or appear"), it's the study of changes in plants
and animals through the seasons - especially in relation to weather and
location. Every spring we notice plants emerging and wildlife returning
from southern climes (or hibernation). But have you ever wondered
"Do the robins always return on the same day each year?" or
"Are the tulips also blooming further north or south of here?"?
These are the very questions phenologists hope to answer by tracking the
same events year after year. By recording annual seasonal events,
scientists (and folks like you and me) can gain a better understanding of
nature's cycles and learn if, how and perhaps why our environment is
changing.
If you've already noticed some phenological events happening around you,
share your observations on Nature Net's
Earth Alive website. And if you're wondering what to watch for
this month, get some ideas from Wisconsin
DNR's EEK! website.
Eco-Exercise:
Deer Ears and Owl Eyes
Observation
skills are critical to phenology and we can combine them with fun
exercise!
Stand in the middle of a field or woodland.
Cup your hands behind your ears to form "deer ears" and
listen closely to the sounds around you.
(For added fun and skill try this with a blindfold on.) Now slowly
bend your knees, but stay upright.
Stop midway and listen again.
Do you hear different sounds?
Now, continue bending your knees until you are close to the ground.
Bring up your hands to your ears and listen again.
Sound different?
Repeat three times and see how your observations change!
Now create home-made binoculars - or owl eyes - by encircling your eyes
with your hands. Repeat the above exercise, this time using your
eyes to observe your surroundings. Can you see why the
wise old owl so wise?
Featured Nature Net On-line Site
Nature Craft
Earth
Alive
What is Earth Alive? It’s an
on-line data base of phenological observations (what
is phenology?)
Earth Alive allows you to share your nature observations with other Earth
Alive users. It also allows you to compare your own observations
from year to year - to see if your daffodils always bloom at the same time
of year; and across the State - to see if the frogs at your local wetland
emerge at the same time as those in northern Wisconsin.
So, keep an eye out for the first daffodil blooms, the first bumble
bee to buzz or the first spring thunderstorm and
record it on Earth Alive!
Here's how it works:
-
Go to www.naturenet.com/EarthAlive/ and click on "General Public".
-
Now, click on "enter an observation" and find the plant, animal or weather condition you witnessed from the drop down list and enter a name you would like to use for all your entries.
-
If you're new to Earth Alive, you'll have to click the word "here" and describe where you live (this comes in handy when you and other users compare observations).
-
Now record the details of your observation (the location, date, time and weather conditions).
-
And that's it!
Now you can compare your observations from year to year or with others who use Earth Alive!
How
Does Your Garden Grow?
Observing nature can be made
even more intriguing if children feel they are a part of the
process. Encourage your little outdoor explorer to plant and observe
their own garden plot.
Start with some clean (recycled) containers that are least two inches deep
with a hole in the bottom. Fill them two-thirds full with potting
soil, water well and sprinkle with seeds of your choice. After
topping the seeds with a thin layer of soil, keep the dirt from drying out
by covering the container/s with a piece of glass or cloth. Set in a
warm place and check in on your seeds each day, recording any
changes. As soon as the first sprouts appear, remove the cover and
move the seedlings to a cooler location with plenty of light.
Remember to continue recording your observations of change, and use a
ruler to measure the height of your favorite 3-4 seedlings. Water as
needed.
If you're planning to move the seedlings to a outdoor garden plot, wait
until their true leaves appear (after the first set - called cotyledons)
then, gradually (over two to three weeks) get them accustom to the outdoors
by first placing them in a sheltered outdoor area, then lengthening the
time they spend outside.
Good seeds to sow this time of year for later outdoor planting include broccoli, peppers, parsley, pansies and snapdragons.
For more ideas on what to do and be on the look out for in your yard or garden, visit the UW-Extension Horticulture website.
Suggested Reading:"In the Small, Small Pond" by Denise Flemming (ages 1-5)
"Walking with Mama" by Barbara White Stynes (ages 1-5)
"Henry Hikes to Fitchburg" by DB Johnson (ages 2-8)
"The Other Way to Listen" by Byrd Baylor (ages 4-8)
"Planting a Rainbow" by Lois Ehlert (ages 4-8)
"Mud Pies and Other Recipes : A Cookbook for Dolls" by Marjorie Winslow (ages 4-8)
"Walking With Henry: Based on the Life and Works of Henry David Thoreau" by Thomas Locker (ages 4-10)
