Flowering Phenology of Echinacea angustifolia in Tallgrass...
Transcript of Flowering Phenology of Echinacea angustifolia in Tallgrass...
Flowering Phenology of Echinacea angustifolia in Minnesota Tallgrass Prairie Remnants Over Three Years
Sarah Baker St. Catherine University
http://echinaceaproject.org http://echinaceaproject.org
The Echinacea Project
• Long-term project studying Minnesota tallgrass prairie remnants
• Effects of prairie fragmentation
http://echinaceaproject.org/
Photo credit: Sarah Baker Photo credit: Sarah Baker
• Model organism –Common prairie plant
–Common plant family (sunflower)
– Taproot system
– Long-lived
–Many pollinators (bees)
Narrow-leaved Purple Coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)
• Self-incompatible
–Cannot fertilize own flowers
–Relies on pollinators for pollen dispersal between plants
Narrow-leaved Purple Coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia)
tiee.ecoed.net
Tallgrass Prairie
Vertebrates
www.dnr.state.mn.us
http://echinaceaproject.org
Flowers Grasses
Insects
www.dnr.state.mn.us
www.dnr.state.mn.us
Tallgrass Prairie
<1% left as scattered fragments (remnants) (Wagenius and Lyon 2010)
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/mcbs/prairie_map.pdf
Fire
Natural Processes Needed by Prairie:
http://echinaceaproject.org www.dnr.state.mn.us
http://www.lternet.edu/
Natural Processes Needed by Prairie:
Bison
Agricultural development
Road development
Invasive species
Cattle overgrazing
Climate change
Agricultural development
Road development
Invasive species
Cattle overgrazing
Climate change
C O N F RO N T I N G C L I M AT E C H A N G E I N T H E G R E AT L A K E S R E G I O N
U n i o n o f C o n c e r n e d S c i e n t i s t s • T h e E c o l o g i c a l S o c i e t y o f A m e r i c a
2003
Climate Change
Research Questions & Hypothesis
• How do prairie plants respond to:
– climate change?
– weather patterns among years?
• I hypothesized that flowering phenology differs among populations due to variations in temperature among years.
Warmer Temp Earlier flowering
Cooler Temp Later flowering
Methods • Tracked flowering phenology of E. angustifolia in
six prairie remnants – Timing and duration of flowering, start to end – Calculated peak flowering date - date of highest overlap in flowering plants
• Compared 2013 with existing data from 2011 (Amber Zahler) and 2012 (Kelly Kapsar)
First day Last day
Photo credit: Sarah Baker Photo credit: Sarah Baker
Methods
Echinacea Project study area: Douglas County, MN
Staffanson Prairie Preserve 94 acres mostly undisturbed tallgrass prairie
West East
1 mi
1 km
Flowering phenology over 2011 season: Staffanson Prairie Preserve east (SPP east) N
um
be
r o
f Fl
ow
eri
ng
Pla
nts
# flowering plants on date
Flowering Season 2011
2011 peak Duration of flowering
SPP east
Peak flowering dates for 3 years Early spring
2012 Late spring
2013 2011
n = 16 n = 17 n = 13
Observed similar pattern across other remnants
Conclusion: Spring conditions affected peak flowering dates
Prescribed burn
SPP west
SPP east
Peak flowering dates for 3 years Early spring
2012 Late spring
2013 2011
n = 16 n = 17 n = 13
n = 31 n = 46 n = 44
Conclusion
• Flowering phenology likely coupled to weather, timing of spring
Warmer Temp Earlier flowering
Cooler Temp Later flowering
Conclusion
• Prescribed fire appears to delay flowering
Prescribed Fire Later flowering
Management implications
• Prescribed burning may be a tool to offset shifts in flowering caused by climate change
• Counteract plant-pollinator decoupling
http://botgarden.uga.edu/ http://echinaceaproject.org
Acknowledgements • Advisors
– Dr. Stuart Wagenius (CBG)
– Dr. Paula Furey (SCU)
• Echinacea Project – Amber Zahler (2011)
– Kelly Kapsar (2012)
– Team 2013
• Participating Institutions – University of Minnesota
– Chicago Botanic Garden
• Funding Sources – National Science Foundation:
Research Experience for Undergraduates
http://echinaceaproject.org