Observing the Outer World to Change Our Inner One | Theresa Crimmins | TEDxUofA

Key Concepts

• Climate change impacts on ecology and mental health
• Phenology: The study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate and plant and animal life.
• Ecological disruption due to shifts in phenological timing
• Importance of long-term data collection for understanding environmental changes
• Volunteer science and citizen science initiatives
• The mental and emotional benefits of engaging with nature.
• The role of individual observations in contributing to scientific knowledge

I. Climate Change and Personal Impact

• The speaker acknowledges the overwhelming nature of climate change news, citing examples like heat events, storms, wildfires, and glacial melt.
• She highlights the negative impacts of climate change on mental health.
• As an ecologist, she personally experiences the effects of changing conditions, giving examples of her desert plants showing signs of stress due to insufficient monsoon rains.
• She introduces the concept of needing broad, collective observation to understand the larger impacts of climate change, extending beyond individual experiences.

II. The USA National Phenology Network

• The speaker leads the USA National Phenology Network, a program that engages both professionals and volunteers.
• The network tracks plant and animal responses to environmental changes across the U.S., focusing on phenology.
• Examples of phenological events tracked include leaf emergence in maples and oaks, desert tortoise emergence, agave flowering, and bird migration.
• The speaker notes that many of these events are shifting due to warmer temperatures.

III. Ecological and Economic Impacts of Phenological Shifts

• Altered phenological timing can disrupt ecological functioning and have economic consequences.
• A case study from Purdue University is presented involving poplar trees, which have separate male and female trees.
• The study found that male poplar trees are flowering earlier than female trees, which could lead to reduced seed production.
• This reduction in seed production could negatively affect poplar tree populations.
• Poplar trees are ecologically important and also used in the production of items like electric guitars and plywood, illustrating the economic impact.

IV. Motivation for Participation in Citizen Science

• The speaker refrains from immediately urging listeners to volunteer data, emphasizing that motivation is important.
• She argues that engaging with nature and citizen science should first and foremost be beneficial for the individual.
• Drawing an analogy to airplane safety instructions, she emphasizes the importance of putting on one's "oxygen mask" first.

V. Personal Benefits of Connecting with Nature

• Spending time outside can reduce heart rate and stress levels.
• Engaging with nature can help ground individuals and improve their mental state.
• She shares her personal experience with a Desert Willow tree in her backyard, describing the calming effect it has on her.
• She recounts interesting discoveries she has made while observing the tree, such as finding crab spiders, Sphinx moth larvae (tomato hornworms), and lynx spiders.

VI. The Importance of Documenting Observations

• Once individuals have "affixed their oxygen masks" (taken care of their mental well-being), they can then contribute to scientific data collection.
• Making a permanent record of observations is crucial for understanding environmental changes.
• An example is given of a Smithsonian scientist in the 1850s who collected phenological data from volunteers.
• These historical records, though almost forgotten, were compared to modern data, revealing that many species are now flowering and leafing out weeks earlier.
• The speaker highlights that without these historical records, it would be impossible to quantify the extent of these changes.
• She is personally documenting the phenology of her Desert Willow tree to contribute to future research.

VII. The Role of Individual Action and Technology

• Climate change is a daunting problem, and it is important to find ways to ground oneself and be present.
• Individuals can play a role in documenting environmental changes.
• She encourages listeners to document what they see in their yards, parks, or even from their balconies.
• She recommends apps like Nature's Notebook, iNaturalist, and eBird for recording and storing phenological data.
• These apps ensure that observations are permanently stored and can be used for future research.

VIII. Conclusion

• The speaker encourages the audience to take a moment to appreciate and register the living things around them.
• She reiterates that engagement with nature and data collection should be driven by personal benefit and a desire to connect with the environment.

Key Quotes

• "Taking just a moment out of our hectic busy days to step outside and register the other living things in our mid is really good for us."
• "Being in the presence of other organisms can be our oxygen mask."
• "Writing down and making a permanent record of what we're seeing happening and when we're seeing it happen is critically important so we can understand whether things are changing."
• "Choose to do it because it is first and foremost good for you."

Technical Terms and Concepts

• Phenology: The study of the timing of recurring biological events (e.g., flowering, migration) and how these events are influenced by environmental factors.
• Ecological Functioning: The processes and interactions within an ecosystem, such as energy flow, nutrient cycling, and species relationships.
• Citizen Science: Scientific research conducted, in whole or in part, by amateur or nonprofessional scientists.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The video emphasizes the importance of understanding and documenting phenological changes in response to climate change. It advocates for a dual approach: first, prioritizing personal well-being by connecting with nature, and then, using that grounded perspective to contribute to citizen science initiatives. The speaker argues that individual observations, when aggregated, can provide valuable insights into the impacts of climate change and inform future solutions. The use of technology and specific apps facilitates this data collection, ensuring that these observations are accessible for future scientific research.