Tropical flowers are changing their blooming times, and climate change is the culprit. A recent study on 8,000 plant species shows drastic shifts in flowering schedules over the past 200 years. Researchers examined plants from diverse regions like Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, and Thailand, noting that these areas, rich in biodiversity, are also the least studied.
For instance, the Brazilian amaranth tree now blooms about 80 days later than it did in the 1950s. Meanwhile, the Ghanaian rattlepod shrub has started blooming 17 days earlier since the 1950s. This finding challenges earlier beliefs that tropical regions wouldn’t be as affected by climate change due to their stable temperatures throughout the year. Lead researcher Skylar Graves from the University of Colorado Boulder emphasized, “Nowhere on Earth is unaffected by climate change.”
The tropics make up about one-third of our planet and host nearly 180 new plant species each year. However, as flowering times shift, the entire ecosystem could face serious repercussions. Changes in flowering may disrupt food chains and damage relationships between pollinators and plants. For example, if flowering doesn’t align with the availability of fruit for animals, it could lead to food shortages for species that rely on those fruits.
Using data from museum collections dating back to 1794, researchers found flower timings have changed by an average of two days each decade. These changes can fracture ecosystems—impacting not just the plants but also the animals that depend on them. For instance, if a migratory bird needs to pollinate a flower, but its migration timing doesn’t match the flower’s blooming, the bird misses out on nectar, and the flower misses out on pollination.
The delicate balance of ecosystems is at risk. If one part of the system falls out of sync, it can lead to broader problems. Many primates and other animals already face danger from habitat loss and food shortages because of these changes.
Interestingly, this pattern mirrors shifts seen in temperate and alpine regions. Different plants respond to various environmental cues, like temperature changes. Some may bloom earlier due to warming, while others might bloom later. This inconsistency can lead to chaos in ecological interactions.
Expert Dr. Emma Bush from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, who wasn’t part of the research, pointed out that the complex nature of tropical ecosystems has long been overlooked. She warns that as plants, insects, and animals react to climate change at different rates, we risk losing biodiversity that’s crucial for human well-being.
As we observe these changes, it’s clear that threats to tropical ecosystems are just as severe as those faced elsewhere. Greater efforts in conservation are needed to protect these vital regions. Understanding and documenting how climate change affects these ecosystems is essential for our planet’s health.
For more on this research, check out the study published in the journal PLOS ONE here.
