OLCG: Global Change Education

			Global Change Education

Green-Up Protocol Purpose To observe plant green-up and report data that will be used by scientists to validate satellite estimates of the beginning of the plant growing season. Student Outcomes Students will learn stated key concepts and be able to apply process skills in understanding patterns of green-up among plants. Overview Students monitor budburst and growth of leaves of selected trees, shrubs, or grasses. Species chosen should be native, deciduous, and dominant in your area. Time Field time: 20 minutes excluding travel time. Level All Frequency At least twice a week beginning two weeks prior to the anticipated start of green-up, if possible Key Concepts Green-up differs among plant species. Green-up differs among locations. Green-up is related to climate. Green-up marks the start of photosynthesis for the season. Skills Estimating dominant plant species Identifying plant species (advanced level) Observing leaf growth Making leaf measurements Recording leaf measurement data Calculating percentages Materials and Tools Ruler with mm marks Flagging tape, 1 label per student Pencil or pen Green-Up Data Sheet (in .pdf format, in .html format) Tree and Shrub Green-Up Field Guide and/or Grass Green-Up Field Guide Dichotomous keys and/or other local species guides Compass Camera Calculators (optional) Preparation Review dominant plant species of school's GLOBE Study Site. Prerequisites Green-Up Cards Learning Activity (in .pdf format, in .html format) Budburst Sneak Preview Learning Activity (in .pdf format, in .html format) Practice mm length measurements with ruler. Knowledge of common plant species at the site Tree and Shrub Green-Up Protocol:Field Guide Task Observe and record plant green-up in grasses. What You Need First Visit Only Green-Up Data Sheet Pencil or Pen Fine-Tip Permanent Marker Ruler with mm units Camera Compass Every Visit Green-Up Data Sheet Pencil or pen Ruler with mm units In The Field First time only/getting started Complete the upper portion of your data sheet. For the selected tree or shrub, locate the bud at the end of the branch. Label this bud by marking one dot on the branch next to the bud. Locate the three other buds closest to this bud. Label these buds by marking two, three, or four dots next to them. Take a photograph from the center of your site looking in the north, south, east, and west directions. Every Visit Examine each bud. Record "dormant" if the bud is unchanged. Record "swelling" if the bud is getting bigger. Record "budburst" the first day you see the green tips of leaves. Record "lost" if something happens to the bud and you cannot continue observations After each budburst, use a ruler to measure the length of the leaf or leaves. Do not include leaf stem or petiole in your leaf measurements. Measure the leaves until the leaf length stops increasing. Different leaves may stop growing at different dates. Grass Green-Up Protocol:Field Guide Task Define the site for green-up and green-down measurement of grasses. What You Need First Visit Only Green-Up Data Sheet Pencil or Pen Fine-Tip Permanent Marker Ruler with mm units Camera Compass Every Visit Green-Up Data Sheet Pencil or pen Ruler with mm units Fine-Tip Permanent Marker (until four new grass shoots have been marked) In The Field First time only/getting started Complete the upper portion of your data sheet. Before new grass shoots emerge, take a photograph in the north, south, east, and west directions. Every visit Look for new green grass shoots. Mark the base of the first grass shoot with a single dot. Mark the second shoot with two dots, the third with three dots and the fourth shoot with four dots. Use the ruler to measure the length of the shoots to the nearest millimeter. Measure the leaves until the leaf length stops increasing. September 1, 2001 Globe 2000 Learning Activities, Earth System Science Back to Green-up/down Phenology Studies Back to Global Change Education
The Website for National Science Foundation Grant No. ES1-9910219 Last Modified on June 25, 2002 by Sidney Stephens