The effects of climate change on the grasshoppers of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado

SETTING UP THE CONTEXT: 1. Climate change & its effects on organisms 2. Gordon Alexander’s grasshopper survey along an elevational gradient 3. Grasshoppers and Climate Change Activity The effects of climate change on the grasshoppers of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado

Climate Change Over the last century, global temperatures have increased by C F 0 Deviations from average (IPCC 2007)

Climate Change Over the last century, global temperatures have increased by C F 0 (IPCC 2007) Deviations from average The hottest 11 years on record in order (since 1880) / 2011

Warming temperatures may affect organisms in a variety of ways i. Phenology (timing of annual biological events) ii. Distributions iii. Local Extinctions

Phenology: The timing of annual biological events For plants: first flush of leaves, first flowering or fruiting dates, when leaves turn in the fall For animals: breaking of hibernation or diapause, egg-laying dates, timing of migration, when different life stages are reached

Warming temperatures may affect organisms in a variety of ways i. Phenology (timing of annual biological events) ii. Distributions iii. Local Extinctions Higher elevations: median rate of 11m per decade Higher latitudes: median rate of 17 km per decade Chen et al 2011

Warming temperatures may affect organisms in a variety of ways i. Phenology (timing of annual biological events) ii. Distributions iii. Local Extinctions

SETTING UP THE CONTEXT: 1. Climate change & its effects on organisms 2. Gordon Alexander’s grasshopper survey along an elevational gradient 3. Grasshoppers and Climate Change Activity The effects of climate change on the grasshoppers of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado

Gordon Alexander survey NSF supported project ($25,000) Goal: document species, distributions & phenology of local grasshoppers Don Van Horn

BOULDER D1 C1 B1 A1 Chautauqua Mesa Chautauqua Mesa N W Surveyed grasshoppers at 8 main sites (weekly basis, March-Sept) - Valmont Butte to weather station C1 (foothills to subalpine gradient) - 1,615 m (5,300 ft) to 3,048 m (10,000 ft) Colorado

Gordon Alexander Grasshopper Survey Alexander kept extensive field notes for all weekly collecting events at each site - species present - developmental stages - abundance

Grasshoppers have 5 developmental stages before they become adults

BOULDER D1 C1 B1 A1 - 4 sites adjacent to weather stations - A1- D1 Stations set up in the early 1950’s (currently maintained by Niwot LTER) Chautauqua Mesa Chautauqua Mesa Gordon Alexander survey Dr. John Marr Founded INSTAAR Mnt Research station N W

Gordon Alexander survey Allow us to - examine the effects of climate change on a community level - examine the effects of climate change at different sites Provides - detailed weather station data to correlate with changes in phenology Single species studies: Most species advancing Community level analyses: 25% not advancing Parmesan & Yohe 2003; Parmesan 2007

SETTING UP THE CONTEXT: 1. Climate change & its effects on organisms 2. Gordon Alexander’s grasshopper survey along an elevational gradient 3. Grasshoppers and Climate Change Activity The effects of climate change on the grasshoppers of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado

4. Grasshoppers and Climate Change Activity i) How has climate changed along an elevational gradient in the Rocky Mountains? ii) How have grasshopper communities responded to warming along the elevational gradient? iii) How might grasshopper phenology be affected by future estimates of climate change? The effects of climate change on the grasshoppers of the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado Students will work in one of four groups -each group will be in charge of a given life zone

Each group will be responsible for processing the sampling data associated each of the four sampling site (life zone)

Chautauqua Mesa m (5750ft) Plains Gerald M. Fauske Group 1

Station A m (7200 ft) Foothills Gerald M. Fauske Group 2

Station B m (8500ft) Montane Gerald M. Fauske Group 3

Station C m (10000 ft) Subalpine Gerald M. Fauske Group 4