The Brian Lehrer Show Wild NYC - Spring is Coming
Mar 4, 2026
Theresa Crimmins, phenology researcher and professor tracking seasonal shifts, and Marielle Anzelone, urban botanist who founded NYC Wildflower Week, talk signs of spring in the city. They discuss how plants and animals signal seasonal change. They highlight red maples, trout lilies, and citizen science tools to spot and record those hidden cues.
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City's Hidden Biodiversity Supports Urban Life
- New York City's survival depends on rich biodiversity that includes plants, animals, fungi, and microbes.
- Marielle Anzelone highlights salt marshes, vernal pools, coastal dunes, and urban green spaces as essential but often overlooked infrastructure.
Phenology Turns Familiar Signs Into Science
- Phenology studies the timing of seasonal events like first blooms and migratory returns.
- Theresa Crimmins explains the field links everyday observations to larger seasonal patterns and ecosystems.
Plants Use Daylength And Temperature Cues
- Plants track daylength and temperature to time budbreak and sap flow, not just sudden warm days.
- Crimmins points to phytochromes sensing daylight and temperature-driven sap movement visible as melted rings at tree bases.
