Phenology is the study of cyclical biological phenomena, such as seasonal events and animal behavior. It can provide clues about upcoming weather conditions and the history of Earth’s climate. Scientists use phenology to track modern climate and determine the impact of climate change. Citizen science is used to collect data, with gardeners and farmers participating in tracking programs.
Phenology is a branch of science that deals with the observation and study of cyclical and sometimes predictable biological phenomena. You’ve probably practiced some phenology yourself; whenever you take note of a seasonal event such as emerging bulbs, fruit trees and the appearance of migratory birds, you are engaging in phenology. Many people believe that studying nationally recurring phenomena could provide clues about upcoming weather conditions and the history of Earth’s climate, since many of these phenomena are dictated by the weather.
Budding, flowering, fruiting, and leaf drop are all examples of botanical phenology. Other examples of phenology include the emergence of animals from hibernation, breeding seasons, shifts in migratory populations, and even the growth rate of crops. Many cultures have been deeply interested in these events, using them to establish planting schedules and make predictions about seasonal weather, and you may be familiar with some nursery rhymes like “knee high by the Fourth of July” to describe how tall corn should have reached. by that date.
Scientists have used phenology to try to reconstruct the globe’s historical climate, using things like grape harvest data as clues. The grape harvest tends to be a highly publicized and important event, and extensive records including grape harvest dates go back hundreds of years in parts of Europe, allowing people to estimate what the climate was like in various years. Other clues that have been used include the formation and breaking up of winter ice, planting dates for various years, and recorded flower emergence, along with the spring calving date.
A number of scientific teams around the world are also using phenology to track modern climate and to determine the impact of climate change on natural phenomena. These teams track things like seasonal festivals tied to events like the emergence of cherry blossoms, along with reports from individuals on budding and flowering schedules in their gardens. Such surveys often reveal very interesting information about regional microclimates.
Phenological investigations are an example of “citizen science,” the collection of scientific information that includes non-scientists. Citizen science can be a really useful way to collect a lot of data and it encourages people to get involved and interested in science. Many gardeners around the world participate in bud tracking programs, such as entering data about their gardens and reading reports from gardeners in other regions. Citizen science can also benefit from people with years of experience in nature, such as farmers who log their planting data each year or wild artisans who are alert to the emergence of particular plants and fungi.
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