Collecting Plant Phenology Data In Imperiled Oregon White Oak Ecosystems: Analysis and Recommendations for Metro

Highly imperiled Oregon white oak ecosystems are a regional conservation priority of numerous organizations, including Oregon Metro, a regional government serving over one million people in the Portland area. Previously dominant systems in the Pacific Northwest, upland prairie and oak woodlands are now experiencing significant threat, with only 2% remaining in the Willamette Valley in small fragments (Hulse et al. 2002). These fragments are of high conservation value because of the rich biodiversity they support, including rare and endemic species, such as Delphinium leucophaeum (Oregon Department of Agriculture, 2020). Since 2010, Metro scientists and volunteers have collected phenology data on approximately 140 species of forbs and graminoids in regional oak prairie and woodlands. Phenology is the study of life-stage events in plants and animals, such as budbreak and senescence in flowering plants, and widely acknowledged as a sensitive indicator of environmental change (Parmesan 2007). Indeed, shifts in plant phenology have been observed over the last few decades as a result of climate change (Parmesan 2006). In oak systems, these changes have profound implications for plant community composition and diversity, as well as trophic interactions and general ecosystem function (Willis 2008). While the original intent of Metro’s phenology data-collection was to track long-term phenology trends, limitations in data collection methods have made such analysis difficult. Rather, these data are currently used to inform seasonal management decisions on Metro properties, such as when to collect seed for propagation and when to spray herbicide to control invasive species. Metro is now interested in fine-tuning their data-collection methods to better capture long-term phenology trends to guide future conservation strategies. Addressing the regional and global conservation issues of our time will require unprecedented collaboration. Phenology data collected on Metro properties is not only an important asset for Metro’s conservation plan, but holds potential to support broader research on a larger scale. As a leader in urban conservation, Metro is poised to make a meaningful scientific contribution by sharing phenology data with regional and national organizations. Data-sharing will benefit the common goal of conservation and create avenues for collaboration with other scientists and conservation practitioners (Rosemartin 2013). In order to support Metro’s ongoing conservation efforts in Oregon white oak systems, I have implemented a three-part master’s project. Part one of the project examines Metro’s previously collected phenology data, providing descriptive statistics and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the methods by which the data were collected. Part two makes recommendations for improving future phenology data-collection methods, and includes recommendations for datasharing with regional and national organizations. Part three is a collection of scientific vouchers documenting key plant species in varying phases of phenology for Metro’s teaching herbarium. The purpose of these vouchers is to provide a visual tool for Metro staff and volunteers who rely on plant identification to carry out aspects of their job in plant conservation. Each component of this project addresses specific aspects of Metro’s conservation program, from day-to-day management concerns to long-term scientific inquiry.