Has spring sprung too soon?
If you are living in the UK currently you might say absolutely not, as snow continues to cause nation wide mayhem. However on a global scale, spring is coming sooner then expected.
In a study published in journal Scientific reports has found that spring is appearing four days earlier for every ten degrees you move form the equator. The research team estimates that is three times greater than previous studies. Arctic regions might even see spring 16 days earlier than expected.
“Yes, spring is arriving earlier, and the Arctic is experiencing greater advances of spring than lower latitudes. What our study adds is that we connect such differences to more rapid springtime warming at higher latitudes”, says lead author Eric Post, in a press release.
A nest of bird eggs in found in Greenland. Acorrding to new study at UC Davis, spring is advancing earlier in the polar regions and other high latitudes compared to lower latitudes. (Picture credit: Eric Post/UC Davis)
Four days may not said like a lot, but for those that work in ecological harmony, an early spring can result in out of sync biological cues. The study highlighted a concern regarding bird northerly migrations.
“Whatever cues they’re relying on to move northward for spring might not be reliable predictors of food availability once they get there if the onset of spring at these higher latitudes is amplified by future warming,” adds Post.
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