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

The effects of climate change on the phenology of grasshoppers in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado 1. Life-zones 2. Climate change & its effects 3. Using grasshoppers to understand climate change climate change 4. Intro to GDDs

Life-zones = Biogeographic areas associated with plants and animals that share similar adaptations to deal with similar climatic factors

Life-zones = Biogeographic areas associated with plants and animals that share similar adaptations to deal with similar climatic factors There are 5 Life-zones in Colorado and they tend to be correlated with elevation

Life-zones = Biogeographic areas associated with plants and animals that share similar adaptations to deal with similar climatic factors There are 5 Life-zones in Colorado and they tend to be correlated with elevation PLAINS - occur below 5,000 ft FOOTHILLS - 5,000 ft - 6,000 ft MONTANE - 6,000ft -9,000 ft SUBALPINE - 9,000 – 11,200 ft ALPINE - < 11,2000 ft

Life-zones = Biogeographic areas associated with plants and animals that share similar adaptations to deal with similar climatic factors There are 5 Life-zones in Colorado and they tend to be correlated with elevation As one moves up in elevation: Average temperatures and season length decline and precipitation increases PLAINS - occur below 5,000 ft FOOTHILLS - 5,000 ft - 6,000 ft MONTANE - 6,000ft -9,000 ft SUBALPINE - 9,000 – 11,200 ft ALPINE - < 11,2000 ft

PLAINS - occur below 5,000 ft Common Plants: Prairie grasses, yucca, cotton woods and willows Birds: Burrowing owls, Swainson’s and Ferruginous hawk, Lark bunting Mammals: Prairie dogs, jack rabbits, coyote, fox ponghorn

FOOTHILLS - 5,000 ft - 6,000 ft Common Plants: Buffalo grass and other plains grasses, ponderosa pine Mammals: Mule deer, elk, jack rabbits

MONTANE - 6,000ft -9,000 ft Common Plants: Ponderosa pine, Lodgepole pine, Colorado columbine, heartleaf arnica, mountain yarrow Birds: Grace’s Warbler, Flammulated Owl, Western Bluebird, Western Tanager Mammals: Colorado chipmunk, Abert’s squirrel, elk, deer, mountain lion, black bear

SUBALPINE - 9,000 – 11,200 ft Common Plants: Englemann spruce, sub-alpine fir, harebell, strawberry, spearleaf stonecrop Birds: Boreal owl, Hammond’s flycatcher, Mountain Chickadee Mammals: Porcupine, black bear, elk, Canada lynx (recently introduced)

ALPINE - < 11,2000 ft Common Plants: Moss campion, alpine avens, other grasses, sedges, and dwarf plants Birds: White-tailed ptarmigan, Rosy-finch, golden eagle, common raven Mammals: Big horn sheep, yellow bellied marmot, pika

The effects of climate change on the phenology of grasshoppers in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado 1. Life-zones 2. Climate change & its effects 3. Using grasshoppers to understand climate change climate change 4. Intro to GDDs

Climate Change Over the last century, the atmosphere has increased by C F 0 (IPCC 2007) 13 of the warmest years on record during

Climate Change Over the last century, the atmosphere has increased by C F 0 (IPCC 2007) In plants and insects temperatures affects i. Phenology (via rates of development) ii. Distributions

Climate Change Over the last century, the atmosphere has increased by C F 0 (IPCC 2007) Past species records are important for determining how species may now be responding to warming temperatures In plants and insects temperatures affects i. Phenology (via rates of development) ii. Distributions

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

Dr. Gordon Alexander Faculty member in CU’s EEB department ( ) Department chair of EEB for 20 years

Dr. Gordon Alexander Faculty member in CU’s EEB department ( ) Department chair of EEB for 20 years Interested in: The biology of organisms living along altitudinal ranges

Gordon Alexander Grasshopper Survey NSF supported project Goals: document species, distributions & phenology of local grasshoppers

Surveyed grasshoppers at 4 main sites (weekly basis, March-Sept)

Surveyed grasshoppers at 4 main sites (weekly basis, March-Sept) - Chautauqua Mesa to weather station C1 (Foothills to subalpine gradient) - 5,300 ft (1,615 m) to 13,000 ft (3,960 m) BOULDER C1 B1 A1 C1 B1 A1 ChautauquaMesa N W Colorado NEED TO REMOVE SOME SITES

Surveyed grasshoppers at 4 main sites (weekly basis, March-Sept) BOULDER C1 B1 A1 C1 B1 A1 ChautauquaMesa N W Colorado NEED TO REMOVE SOME SITES - All survey sites are near weather stations (Boulder, A1, B1, C1)

Chautauqua Mesa m (5750ft) Foothills Gerald M. Fauske Station A m (7200 ft) lower Montane Gerald M. Fauske

Station B m (8500ft) Upper Montane Gerald M. Fauske Station C m (10000 ft) Subalpine Gerald M. Fauske

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

Grasshoppers have 5 developmental stages before they become adults (developmental stage)

The Gordon Alexander grasshopper collection & survey ( ) plus - A new resurvey project ( ) - Climate station data can help us understand how climate has changed & how grasshoppers have responded

The effects of climate change on the phenology of grasshoppers in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado 1. Life-zones 2. Climate change & its effects 3. Using grasshoppers to understand climate change climate change 4. Intro to Phenology & GDDs

Phenology: The timing of annual biological events in plants and animals

For plants: first flush of leaves in spring, the first flowering or fruiting dates, or when leaves turn in the fall

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

Phenology: The timing of annual biological events in plants and animals Why should climate change effect the phenology of organisms?

Phenology: The timing of annual biological events in plants and animals Why should climate change effect the phenology of organisms? Changes in temperature are often cues that determine the timing of life- history Insects and plants development highly dependent on temperatures

Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants)

Base temp (12 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants) Base temp = the temperature above which growth & development can proceed

Base temp (12 0 ) Upper threshold temp (38 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants) Base temp = the temperature above which growth & development can proceed Upper Threshold = the temperature above which growth & development ceases Rate of growth & development generally increase between the base temp and upper threshold

Base temp (12 0 ) Upper threshold temp (38 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development Growing Degree Days (GGD): The average number of degrees above the base temperature occurring over a 24 hr period. A measure of the heat energy available for development. Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants)

Base temp (12 0 ) Upper threshold temp (38 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development Growing Degree Days (GGD): The average number of degrees above the base temperature occurring over a 24 hr period. A measure of the heat energy available for development. Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants) How many GDD if daily high is 24 0 and is 12 0 C (base 12 0 )?

Base temp (12 0 ) Upper threshold temp (38 0 ) Developmental rate (time) Temperature ( 0 C) No development Growing Degree Days (GGD): The average number of degrees above the base temperature occurring over a 24 hr period. A measure of the heat energy available for development. Growing degree days & development in insects (and plants) How many GDD if daily high is 24 0 and is 12 0 C (base 12 0 )? = 6 GDD =

Cumulative Growing Degree Days: Number of degree-days accumulated during a specified time interval Growing Degree Days (GGD): The average number of degrees above the base temperature occurring over a 24 hr period. A measure of the heat energy available for development.

Cumulative Growing Degree Days: Number of degree-days accumulated during a specified time interval Growing Degree Days (GGD): The average number of degrees above the base temperature occurring over a 24 hr period. A measure of the heat energy available for development. Ordinal date Cumulative GDDs

Cumulative Growing Degree Days: Number of degree-days accumulated during a specified time interval Growing Degree Days (GGD): The average number of degrees above the base temperature occurring over a 24 hr period. A measure of the heat energy available for development. Ordinal date Cumulative GDDs March 1 August 31 Grasshopper Growing Season

Cumulative Growing Degree Days: Number of degree-days accumulated during a specified time interval Growing Degree Days (GGD): The average number of degrees above the base temperature occurring over a 24 hr period. A measure of the heat energy available for development. Ordinal date Cumulative GDDs Grasshopper sp 2 (1000 GDDs) Grasshopper sp 1 (250 GDDs) March 1 August 31 Different species require a different number of GDDs to become adults

For today’s lab you will 1.Determine whether regional warming is detectable over the last 50+ years and whether it has been similar across the foothills to subalpine gradient in N Colorado. 1.Determine whether grasshopper phenology (timing to adulthood) has changed at these sites. 1.Examine whether changes in when the number of GDDs occur explains changes in timing to adulthood.