Thursday, August 7, 2008: 1:30 PM-5:00 PM
202 A, Midwest Airlines Center
OOS 20 - Shake-up in Timing in Ecological Communities: Understanding the Complexity and the Role of Citizen Science
Phenology is one of the most basic traits affecting organisms and ecosystems. Nearly all ecological relationships and processes have a significant timing-based component. Plant-pollinator relationships, predator-prey interactions, and the distribution of species are just some of the aspects of ecosystems affected by phenology. And of critical importance today, human-induced climate change is altering phenology worldwide. In turn, many relationships and ecosystem functions will be impacted. In addition, phenological studies provide an excellent opportunity to bring ecology and education together. The collection of phenological data is labor intensive, and benefits greatly from the participation of volunteers. And nearly everyone can observe and appreciate phenology - people can see it in their own backyards, gardens, birdfeeders, and parks. Project BudBurst, a new citizen-science program in the US, highlights the benefits that citizen scientists and ecologists can provide one another. It follows the example of hugely popular citizen-scientist phenological monitoring programs in other parts of the world. This session features several case studies that show the vital role that citizen science can play in characterizing patterns of phenological change, and ways that phenological studies can contribute to the public’s understanding of climate change, ecology, and seasonal processes. It will also show some of the leading work to characterize the full complexity of phenological variability and change, particularly at the community level. The speakers will address phenology at several trophic levels and in a variety of ecosystems.
Organizer:	David W. Inouye, University of Maryland
Moderator:	Abraham Miller-Rushing, University of Maryland
1:30 PM	OOS 20-1		Using the Alexander Orthoptera Collection to measure the effects of climate change on of Rocky Mountain grasshoppers Cesar R. Nufio, University of Colorado, M. Deane Bowers, University of Colorado
1:50 PM	OOS 20-2		Are songbirds arriving earlier in Thoreau's Concord as the climate warms? Libby Bacon, Boston University, Richard B. Primack, Boston University
2:10 PM	OOS 20-3		The consequences of phenology for demography, illustrated by long-term research in Colorado on Helianthella quinquenervis (aspen sunflower) at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory David W. Inouye, University of Maryland
2:30 PM	OOS 20-4		Unveiling the mysterious ecology of a rare relict Mojave Desert forb (Penstemon albomarginatus): Will ecological knowledge put a damper on exponential growth in Southern Nevada? Stephen F. Zitzer, Desert Research Institute, James King, Desert Research Institute, Vic Etyemezian, Desert Research Institute
2:50 PM	OOS 20-5		Climate change and soil seed banks: An experimental approach along an aridity gradient Marcelo Sternberg, Tel Aviv University, Danny Harel, Tel Aviv University, Claus Holzapfel, Rutgers University
3:10 PM			Break
3:20 PM	OOS 20-6		Intra- and interannual patterns of reproduction in three Neotropical forests Jess K. Zimmerman, University of Puerto Rico, S. Joseph Wright, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Nancy Garwood, Southern Ilinois University, Olivier Hardy, Université Libre de Bruxelles
3:40 PM	OOS 20-7		Spatio-temporal mismatches in species' responses to climate change in Japan and South Korea Richard B. Primack, Boston University, Ines Ibanez, University of Michigan, Hiroyoshi Higuchi, University of Tokyo, Sang Don Lee, Ewha Woman's University, Abraham J. Miller-Rushing, University of Maryland, Adam M. Wilson, University of Connecticut, John A. Silander Jr., University of Connecticut
4:00 PM	OOS 20-8		Project Budburst: Citizen science and climate change Kirsten K. Meymaris, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Sandra Henderson, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Carol A. Brewer, University of Montana, Kay Havens, Chicago Botanic Garden
4:20 PM	OOS 20-9		What's behind the curtain? Information systems to support the broad range of observers in phenology Bruce E. Wilson, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Sandra Henderson, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Kirsten K. Meymaris, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Benjamin B. Crom, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
4:40 PM	OOS 20-10		Ecosystem effects of community assembly history: A test with wood-decay fungi Tadashi Fukami, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Ian A. Dickie, Landcare Research, Paula Wilkie, Landcare Research, Barbara C. Paulus, Landcare Research, Peter K. Buchanan, Landcare Research, Robert B. Allen, Landcare Research

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