February 09, 2000:
Scientific Study Cites Value of GLOBE Data
The cover story of the Jan 4, 2000, issue of the EOS-Transactions publication of the American Geophysical Union recognizes the contribution of GLOBE students to research examining the connection between climate dynamics and the terrestrial biosphere. The article, authored by scientists from the University of Montana and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, describes how they are using GLOBE student data to ground-truth satellite estimates of the start of the annual growing season. The article, "Young Students, Satellites Aid Understanding of Climate-Biosphere Link," is online at: www.agu.org/eos_elec/99199e.html
The Budburst Protocol was implemented as a GLOBE special measurement in 1999. Students identify two branches of two native trees and observe them daily until the buds on each branch begin to open. The dates of budburst are reported via the Internet to the GLOBE Data Archive.
In explaining the value of the GLOBE data, the article's authors-Steve Running, Michael White, and Mark Schwartz-explained that existing ground phenological records are of limited duration or geographical extent. "Without a clear picture of what's happening on the ground, growing season estimates based solely on satellite data are subject to widely varying interpretations and their value for large-scale climate and ecological modeling is limited," the authors state.
After evaluating the GLOBE student data, the scientists were pleased to find that the students' ground observations of leaf budburst corresponded remarkably well with satellite growing season estimates, giving them greater confidence in those estimates. Dr. Running is strongly encouraging all GLOBE schools to conduct the budburst special measurement protocol again in 2000 and Dr. Schwartz has prepared a related measurement protocol for observations of phenologic changes in lilacs. These protocols are available under the Resource Room/Special Measurements.