PS 46-203 - Integrating undergraduates and non-academics into large-scale research by exploring phenological asynchrony of vernal-pool breeding amphibians and woody plants

Abstract: Providing undergraduate students with hands-on authentic research experiences that address large-scale ecological questions can be a powerful way for students to grasp how ecological relationships interact across various spatial scales. Research directed at understanding how climate change is affecting phenology of co-occurring phylogenetically-distant species differently, and the potential implications of those relationships, provides opportunities for students to make those connections. In a given community, phenological shifts of co-occurring species do not necessarily happen at the same rate, magnitude, or in the same direction, and phenological mismatches can disrupt critical community interactions. An interesting potential mismatch to explore is early-spring phenology of pond-breeding amphibians, wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) and spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum), and the woody plants surrounding their breeding pools. The geographic and landscape drivers of phenology–particularly with respect to pond-breeding amphibians and woody plants surrounding forest ponds–is not well understood. Furthermore, it is unclear what factors are key drivers of phenology shifts – local factors, landscape factors, or a combination of both.



To address these questions, we designed protocols for coordinated multi-site multi-year data collection to incorporate into undergraduate coursework or independent research experiences, or to implement in non-academic settings, such as public educational programming by environmental educators. In 2022, we launched a Vernal Pool Phenology Project (VPPP) pilot study through the Ecological Research as Education (EREN) network to gather coordinated phenology data across a large geographic region. We collected data twice-weekly during a six-week sampling period at seven vernal pools across five institutions in the United States. Field research site setup and data collection were conducted in ten undergraduate courses and with several independent research students. Data collected included date of initial egg deposition for wood frogs and spotted salamanders, phenology stage of dominant trees surrounding the pool (bud-breaking, flowering, leaf-out), and water level fluctuations and maximum depth. We measured canopy cover (leaf-on and leaf-off), and used data loggers to measure water and air temperature, and to determine pool dry date. In 2023, we added acoustic recorders at a subset of sites to document wood frog calling phenology, and expanded to 25 collaborating research sites and now include several non-academic partners (e.g., environmental educators) and volunteers. By designing protocols for undergraduate and a variety of other learning settings, we have brought local field data collection and large-scale science into undergraduate field courses and broadened the reach of multi-site ecological research to other non-academic partners.