Spring to come 3 weeks earlier to the United States

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-10/iop-stc101215.php

Public Release: 13-Oct-2015
Spring to come 3 weeks earlier to the United States
Scientists have projected that the onset of spring plant growth will shift by a median of 3 weeks earlier over the next century, as a result of rising global temperatures
Institute of Physics

Scientists have projected that the onset of spring plant growth will shift by a median of three weeks earlier over the next century, as a result of rising global temperatures.

The results, published today (Wednesday 14th October), in the journal Environmental Research Letters, have long term implications for the growing season of plants and the relationship between plants and the animals that depend upon them.

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"Our projections show that winter will be shorter - which sound greats great for those of us in Wisconsin" explains Andrew Allstadt, an author on the paper. "But long distance migratory birds, for example, time their migration based on day length in their winter range. They may arrive in their breeding ground to find that the plant resources that they require are already gone."

The researchers also investigated so-called 'false springs' - when freezing temperatures return after spring plant growth has begun. They showed that these events will decrease in most locations. However a large area of the western Great Plains is projected to see an increase in false springs. "This is important as false springs can damage plant production cycles in natural and agricultural systems" continues Allstadt. "In some cases, an entire crop can be lost."

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