'Seeing the Changes' Confirmed

I included the 'Seeing the Changes' posts, when I started to write this blog. I did so, because I had the impression that the timings for many natural history events were changing. I thought I could look back and see whether dates for particular flowers or insects changed. A UK analysis of 420,000 recorded dates of first flowerings by more than 200 plant species supports my suspicions (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/02/flowers-arriving-month-early-uk-climate-heats-up-bloom-insects-birds). Their records started somewhat earlier than mine (1793). The analysis suggests that herbaceous plants are now flowering, on average, 32 days earlier. The figures for trees and shrubs were, respectively, 14 and 10 days earlier. The authors of the study think that the faster-reproducing herbaceous plants can more easily adapt to the UK's warming climate. This can, however, still be problematical, as there may well be mismatchs between flowerings and the emergence of pollinating insects. In deed, the whole phenomenon of earlier and earlier flowerings could have profound repercussions on the ecology of areas. Insects, birds and mammals will also have to adapt.