Cycles Behind...Cycles Ahead

Blue-eyed Grass with native Bee

- photography © Bruce A. Morrison

(click on image for a larger view) 

I've written about Phenology before; if you keep any kind of record of events or relating to events (like writing down rain amounts on your wall calendar) - then you're practicing Phenology.  The Aldo Leopold Foundation states that Phenology is " a segment of ecology focusing on the study of periodic plant and animal life-cycle events that are influenced by climate and seasonal change in the environment."

For instance, we keep records each year as to when certain birds first appear in the spring or fall during migration, when the Great Blue Herons in the Waterman Creek rookery across the road first return, when the native plants in the prairie pasture here begin blooming, and so on.

We don't specifically do this because we're doing scientific research or something of that nature, we also do it because we're just plain interested and its fun!  It also can help with just plain curiosity.

We've all heard someone exclaim that "things are sure early this year"!  Well, are they really?  Or are they just early compared to "last year", or are they running at an average?  Phenology can answer a lot of those questions.  But one reason I like keeping records like this are to "be prepared"!

If I know that the hummingbirds usually show up at such and such a time (on the average), and we put the feeders out a couple days ahead of time - we're ready for 'em!

I also know that certain other events like bloom time can be prepared for...here on our prairie pasture one example is the Blue-eyed Grasses (Sisyrinchium campestre).  It is such a small flowering native forb that it can be easily missed if you're not out and looking in the right places.  But I know (from past years) that it usually shows up on May 15th.  But some years it may be early or late, so I'll start looking during the first week of May just in case.  This year it was fortunate I did - it showed up here on our pasture on May 7! 

The blossoms of this tiny member of the Iris family measure around 1/2" or slightly less across; so you can get an idea of how small the little native bee (specific species unidentified) actually is!  Iowa has maybe around 35-40 types of native Bees and some, like this one are quite small.  When does this bee usually show up here on our pastures?  Well - when their forage does, so each year I see this bee its on the day I find the first Blue-eyed Grasses in bloom!

Just because one plant bloomed early, does that mean everything is?  Not necessarily but sometimes other things show the same pattern as well...this year the American Toads here began singing the 3rd week of April - that is early for them also...about 2 weeks early!  

Ya, some years those cycles we all pay attention to are behind, and some years ahead - its fun keeping track and looking forward to the next arrival or departure...that's life ya know!

Phenology...of sorts

"False Gromwell Slope" Color Pencil
(Prints Available Here)

I've practiced phenology over the years and really didn't realize it until recently. Today it was brought back to mind when I said something about going down to Waterman Prairie to check on the Pasque Flowers. Georgie thought I was getting ahead of myself...that it was wishful thinking - "It's been too cold this week." was her thought on the first bloomers there.

I checked back in this blog to April 7th of last year, and there they were! Hmmm...April 7th is a bit later yet, sure hate to wait that long!

I also keep track of other things as they happen, and refer back to them when looking for photo or viewing opportunities. I do this in my journals (they go back to the 1980's), on calendars I file away, and in my "A Tallgrass Journal" (in publication since 2002), but this blog is another way to keep track. The artwork above is a good example...if I wanted to get back to the False Gromwell Slope (my name) and photograph the plants in peak bloom, I could check my notes or even the slide mounts for dates (ya it was a long time ago!). Now-a-days I could also check my digital files for the date of creation.

Phenology is defined in the gardener's dictionary as "The scientific study of periodic biological phenomena, such as the flowering of plants, in relation to climatic conditions." I suppose it could also relate to other non-plant events like the Monarch migration, or bird migration, or even when climactic events themselves happen (?).

Today (as I write - March 23rd) the ice on the famed Walden's Pond went out. It also went out on this date in 1853...you see, Henry David Thoreau kept records of the natural occurrences around him too...sure its just a thing of curiosity but can be much more. The next year in 1854, Walden's ice didn't go out until April 7th...do you see method to my madness yet? I figure if Walden's ice can go out on this date one year but April 7th another year, then I'd better check on the Pasque Flowers at Waterman Prairie pretty quick here!!! They may be up! Ha!

As you can see I use the science of phenology very loosely; more for my own reference to when to check on things I'm interested in. But these records can actually mean something is going on if looked at over a period of many years. Walden's Pond has been recorded for some time. During Thoreau's time the dates of ice-out averaged around April 2nd...during the recorded periods in the 20th and 21st century it averaged around "Today" March 23rd! Global warming? Climate change? Aw, I have no idea! But it's the trends that can indicate things scientifically.

But one thing I do know - I'd better get down there and check on those Pasque Flowers!