If a tree grows in Brooklyn, will they hear it in Ithaca?

Thats what West Virginia Universitys Kathryn G. Arano wants to get to the root of.

Arano, an assistant professor of forest economics in WVU s Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences, is branching out with a study on urban tree phenologythe study of the seasonal timing of natural or biological events.

The two-year study will compare the phenological patterns of trees in two citiesone highly urbanized, New York City, and one less urbanized, Ithaca, N.Y. The study will also look at the economic implications of changing phenological patterns in these two cities.

Temperatures tend to be higher in urban areas because natural land covers are being replaced with pavement and buildings, Arano explained.

Urban forests are beneficial to communitiessocial, economic and ecological health, she added. However, the effect of urbanization on the phenology of the forests may affect the quality of the benefits they provide.

Other studies have shown how the warming of the Earth has altered the timing of spring events,Arano said.The warmer temperatures at the onset of spring typically result in a longer growing period for plants.

Since changes in climatic patterns are a growing concern, and urban communities continue to expand, this study is something that will be applicable nationwide,she added.

Arano is conducting the research with the help of Rico M. Gazal, assistant professor of forestry at Glenville State College, and Michael A. White, assistant professor in the Department of Aquatic, Watershed and Earth Resources at Utah State University.

The project has received $44,419 in federal funds. WVU and Glenville State have chipped in $32,406 and $12,481 in matching funds, respectively.

While attempting to verify changes in the growing seasons of urban trees, Arano and her colleagues will also attempt to measure how these changes affect human health and forest management and planning.

Teachers and students from schools that participate in the Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment, or GLOBE , program will assist with data collection in both cities.

GLOBE is a worldwide, hands-on primary and secondary school-based education and science program that seeks to involve teachers and students in conducting scientifically valid measurements in the fields of atmosphere, hydrology, soils, land cover and phenology.

Including students and teachers in this project will not only enhance scientific education, but also their awareness and understanding of issues relevant to their communities,Arano said.

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