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