Citizen Science

You, your friends, your children, in fact anyone can be a citizen scientist. A citizen scientist records observations of the natural world in coordination with other citizens. Scientists can then use the data bases created to analyze certain natural phenomena. For example some people record different events in the life cycles of a plant. Records of bloom times are known as phenologies. Old garden diaries often contained phenologies. Today these records have shown us how our climate is changing.

You can help your fellow irisarians.

If irisarians from all around the country would make observations and record and report them to the Iris Encyclopedia we could learn many things;

• Does a particular cultivar grow everywhere the same, or is one part of the country better than another.

• How long does a cultivars bloom season last?
• When would peak bloom be expected for a cultivar in the South and going North?
• Does an iris breed true for certain characters?
• Does rebloom occur? Where and when?

You can help scientists nationally!

Project BudBurst measures first bloom of plants nationwide.

The National Phenology Association provides educational tools for use in classrooms, educating students in scientific methods.

Taking measurements;

Here is a challenge! fill out this fillable form describing an Iris. It may take you several minutes standing in the field, but your data is very valuable especially combined with that of others.

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-- BobPries - 20 Sep 2017