| by Jessica Robertson, USGS Science Features. An article relevant to
GSS Climate Change chapter 8. Excerpt: As the climate has warmed, many
plants are starting to grow leaves and bloom flowers earlier. A new
study published in the journal, Nature, suggests that most field
experiments may underestimate the degree to which the timing of leafing
and flowering changes with global warming. Understanding how plants are
responding to climate change will help develop more accurate indicators
of spring, forecast the onset of allergy season or the chances of
western wildfires, manage wildlife and invasive plants, and help inform
habitat restoration plans. …the USA-National Phenology Network (USA-NPN)
also provided support and assisted with assembling and analyzing
historical phenological observations and climate data. ...The USA-NPN
brings together citizen scientists, government agencies, non-profit
groups, educators and students of all ages to monitor the impacts of
climate change on plants and animals in the United States. … sign up
through the USA-NPN website (http://www.usanpn.org/participate/observe),
or contact the USA-NPN Executive Director Jake Weltzin at
jweltzin@usgs.gov. Read a University of California, San Diego, press release--http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressreleases/study_shows_experiments_underestimate_plant_responses_to_climate_change, as well as a NASA feature--http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/early-bloom.html, on this new article. Read full article - http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_science_pick/experiments-underestimate-climate-change-impacts-to-plants/. |
Updates >