美國民眾志願參與研究 協助追蹤氣候變遷的季節影響 | 環境資訊中心
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美國民眾志願參與研究 協助追蹤氣候變遷的季節影響

2009年03月10日
摘譯自2009年3月4日ENS美國,亞利桑那州,土桑報導;施宏燕編譯;莫聞審校

美國地質調查員Jake Weltzin和亞利桑那大學研究生Lisa Benton正在調查阿勒頗松樹,一種在Tucson地區常見的物種;攝影:T. Crimmins ;圖片提供:UA美國正廣大徵招「國民科學家」來協助科學家觀察氣候變遷對動植物種行為的影響。

這些自願者將接受一項任務,研究動植物的季節性週期──包括植物何時開始落葉、開花、果熟以及動物的繁殖、遷徙與冬眠──這些都是生物氣象學的範疇。

這個邀請自願者參與觀察季節性事件的國家計畫,是由政府、學術單位與國民科學家所組成名為美國國家生物氣象學網絡(USA-National Phenology Network, USA-NPN)。

USA-NPN控管計畫將會製造大量可用數據給科學家與大眾。在2009年,此計畫提供簡易使用的方法來探知近200種植物的生命週期,隔年將開始觀控動物。

科學家與資源管理專家將利用這些觀察結果追蹤氣候變遷對地球生物系統的影響。這些觀測將由衛星分析後產生遙感數據與天氣數據,再仔細與生態學研究相比對。

USA-NPN所蒐集的數據將協助資源管理專家預測野火與花粉產期、探測並管控外來侵入物種、監控旱期以及評估各種動植物種在氣候變遷下的脆弱程度。

佛羅里達州一種瀕危的花,發現於沼澤與濕松地中;攝影:Coastlander該組織同時在佛羅里達也設立了一個研究中心,讓民眾、學生與研究專家能追蹤氣候變遷對佛羅里達本地動植物的季節效應。這個中心設於南佛羅里達大學(the University of South Florida)生態學研究區內,由乾燥高地與柏樹濕地環繞,廣大的棲地範圍提供理想的水文影響分析,這是佛羅里達州關鍵的環境影響因子。

總部設於土桑(Tucson)亞利桑那大學的USA-NPN研究計畫包括了美國地質調查局(the U.S. Geological Survey)、威斯康辛-密爾瓦基大學、亞利桑納大學、美國漁業暨野生動物局(the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)以及野生生物協會(Wildlife Society)的共同合作。其最主要的子計畫BudBurst,目前正進行第二季的植物氣象學觀測。

Volunteers Invited to Track Seasonal Signs of Climate Change
TUCSON, Arizona, March 4, 2009 (ENS)

Citizen scientists are being recruited to help scientists observe the effects of climate change on the behavior of plant and animal species found across the United States.

Volunteers are asked to study the seasonal cycles of plant and animals - the first leafing, first flowering, and first fruit ripening of plants, and animals reproducing, migrating and hibernating - a science known as phenology.

A consortium of government, academic and citizen scientists known as the USA-National Phenology Network, or USA-NPN, is launching the new national program built on volunteer observations of these seasonal events.

The USA-NPN monitoring program will vastly increase the data available to scientists and the public alike, Weltzin said. This year, the program provides easy-to-use methods to track the life cycles of nearly 200 species of plants, and will begin monitoring animals next year.

Scientists and resource managers will use these observations to track effects of climate change on the Earth's living systems. The observations will be analyzed against satellite-generated remote sensing data and weather data, then compared with detailed ecological studies.

Data collected by USA-NPN will help resource managers predict wildfires and pollen production, detect and control invasive species, monitor droughts, and assess the vulnerability of various plant and animal species to climate change.

Today, for the first time, a site in Florida is established where citizens, students and researchers can track the seasonal effects of climate change on Florida's native plants and animals.

Located at the University of South Florida's Ecological Research Area, the site encompasses dry uplands and cypress wetlands. This range of habitats makes it ideal for analyzing the effects of hydrology, a key environmental factor in Florida.

Based at the University of Arizona in Tucson, the USA-NPN includes collaborations among the U.S. Geological Survey, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the University of Arizona, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Wildlife Society.

Project BudBurst, a major partner of the USA-NPN, is launching its second season of plant phenology monitoring.