Environment

Rhododendrons blooming early due to global warming?

by azzayindia | February 4, 2009 at 07:48 am

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The farmers are already facing crisis of waterfor irrigation due to less snow this year.the global warming effect is evident in Mussoooriehttp://www.garhwalpost.com/centrenewsdetail.aspx?id=10202;&nt=Uttarakhand
MUSSOORIE, 22 Jan: Rhododendrons (Burans), the state tree of Uttarakhand, are also feeling the heat of Global Warming, it seems. This year, Rhododendrons are in full bloom two months early, making the region around Mussoorie crimson red, thus adding colour to the area. According to Dr Uday Gaur, Biologist at the Ghorakhori School and the leader for the study of climate change, says usually the flowers bloom in late February or the first week of March, but due to the global warming, the pattern had changed completely, which did not augur well for the flora and fauna, as they depend on each other for exchange of nutrients.
He also said the affect of Global Warming had been witnessed in other species like peaches. The Peach fruit was ripe and ready much before the actual season near the GMVN guest house.
The resident, Mr Beg, a gemologist is surprised at this development and says that they had never seen fruits in this month on the tree as the actual period was in the month of April and May. Surat Singh Kharkhai, a villager from Jaunpur, says that the lack of snowfall in Mussoorie this year could also be attributed to the effects of Global Warming. The snow replenished the trees and plants in winter, which had not happened this year and was really heart breaking. He further said that quick measures were needed to control the temperature of the planet, otherwise it could lead to a disaster of alarming proportion.

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calisonche

at 10:36 on February 4th, 2009

photograph by Alison Domzalski
alisondomzalski.com

calisonche has contributed a photo to this story.

azzayindia

at 09:17 on February 7th, 2009

thank you for hte pictures

Rachel Nixon

at 13:08 on February 4th, 2009

Interesting piece. I'd like to see if NP members are seeing evidence of other plants blooming early in their part of the world.

Fripouille

at 13:41 on February 4th, 2009

Hi Rachel,

Happy to oblige. Here in France, where I live, and in England, where my family is, every end of february /beginning of march brings its many tales related by gardeners and farmers and botanists who lament the precocious budding on various trees and shrubs and the appearance of flowers that didn't appear before one or two months afterwards as recently as ten years ago. They also say that some species appear twice in one year, in weakened forms, whereas years ago they would only appear once, and this because they are "confused" by the climate.......

Very worrying......