How to become a citizen scientist

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• How to become a citizen scientist

Melanie Priesnitz, NS PlantWatch Coordinator
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What is a scientist?
What image pops into your head when you hear the
word scientist?
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You can be a scientist too!
Citizen scientists like you and me come in all
shapes and sizes
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What do PlantWatch citizen
scientists do?
Go outside during the spring and observe when
flowers bloom when trees get their
leaves record this information on a simple
form report their findings to the PlantWatch
website
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Who looks at the data on the website?
Scientists all across Canada who study climate
change global warming greenhouse gas effect They
look at how these things affect plants and the
natural world
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• What do all of these terms mean?

Climate Change a recorded change in long-term
weather patterns refers to increases and
decreases of average temperatures change in
annual amounts of rainfall or snowfall overall
change in the number and strength of storms
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The Greenhouse Effect Scientists know that
greenhouse gases make the Earth warmer by
trapping energy in the atmosphere without
this greenhouse effect the Earth would not be
warm enough for humans to live but if the
greenhouse effect becomes too strong it could
problems for humans, plants, and animals
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• Global Warming an average increase in the
  Earth's temperature, which in turn causes
  changes in climate

A warmer Earth may cause changes in rainfall
patterns rising sea levels more severe winter
storms
a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife,
and humans if warming happens too quickly
wildlife may not be able to properly adapt
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How is this all connected? When we talk about the
issue of climate change were concerned about
global warming caused by the greenhouse gas
effect caused by human activities such as burning
fossil fuels driving cars, burning oil in our
furnaces etc. PlantWatch Citizen Scientists
help Scientists discover how climate change is
affecting plants
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How to start PlantWatching
Go to http//www.plantwatch.ca Click on submit
observations and register yourself as an
observer
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Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)    Also
known as pis-en-lit in frenchBloom time April
June General - Common plant, introduced to
Canada from Europe for food and
medicine. Flowers Fruits - Flower heads are
yellow and the flower stem is hollow and
leafless. After full bloom, white, fluffy,
round balls of seeds appear. The parachuted seeds
are blown away by the wind.
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To Observe 1 metre square patch of dandelions at
least 10m away from buildings, watch same patch
each year First bloom when the first flowers
are open in the observed plants Mid bloom when
the first seed-head opens, forming a white,
fluffy ball of seeds Make sure your patch is
not mowed until you have made your observations.

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Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)    Also
known as crackerberry, dwarf cornel Bloom time
May - June General - Low, woodland plant,
grows in patches. Flowers Fruits Flowers
are tiny and green or cream-coloured, each plant
has a single cluster with four showy white bracts
that look like petals. The fruits are red
berries that appear later in the summer. The
flowers exhibit explosion pollination!
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To Observe When flowers open, black central dots
are visible, (stigmas). First bloom when the
first flowers are open in the observed plants.
Mid bloom when half of the flowers are open in
the observed plants. Select a typical 1m patch
of plants. Watch the same plants each year.
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Larch (Larix laricina) Also known as
tamarack, hackmatack Bloom time
April - May General - Medium-sized conifer
grows up to 20 m tall. Larch is the only conifer
that sheds its needles annually Flowers Fruits
- Male and female cones can appear on the same
branches, observe male cones only for
PlantWatch. Male cones small, less noticeable
mounds of yellow-brown pollen sacs that wither
and fall after shedding pollen. Female cones
pinkish-purple mini-cones about 1 cm long.
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To Observe First bloom when the first
pollen is being shed by the male cones on the
observed tree in 3 places. Mid bloom when half
of the male cones are abundantly shedding pollen.
Leafing when the needles are lengthening and
opening at the tip in 3 places.
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Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

Also known as swamp maple Bloom time
March - April General - Small to medium-sized
deciduous tree with grey bark. Flowers appear
before the leaves. Flowers Fruits - Flowers
emerge from dark red buds in early spring and
form dense, short-stalked clusters. Male and
female flowers usually grow on different branches
of the same tree, but they can appear on separate
trees. Male flowers are red and long Female
flowers are smaller, lighter red or greenish
yellow Observe only the male flowers for
PlantWatch.
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To Observe First bloom when the first 3
male flowers are open on the observed tree. Mid
bloom when half of the flowers are open on the
observed tree. Leafing when the first 3 leaves
push out of the bud and unfold completely. Remembe
r look for male blooms before leaves
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School kids in the 1920s looked at the same
information
Dr. Alexander Howard McKay, Superintendent of
Schools NS 1900s, decided every school child
should become a naturalist! For 23 years school
kids recorded over 200 natural events annually.
We still have the data today!
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By getting involved with PlantWatch you will
Be a part of history Learn about plants and
nature Get outside for fresh air exercise Learn
about science and the environment Become more
observant of the world around you Have fun and
spend time with friends, family,
classmates HAVE FUN
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Melanie Priesnitz, NS PlantWatch Coordinator
Harriet
Irving Botanical Gardens, Acadia University
botanicalgardens_at_acadiau.ca