How climate warming has affected the phenology and distributions of British species.
The British climate has been warming up for the past four decades. This has had two major consequences for wildlife. Phenology (the timing of life cycle events) has changed for a wide range of plants and animals. Warmer winters have allowed ‘spring’ flowers such as snowdrops and crocuses to bloom earlier than in the past, many birds are nesting in advance of historic norms and invertebrates such as brimstone butterflies regularly emerge from hibernation a month or so sooner than before. And many species have changed their distributions, with new colonists arriving from Europe, some natives extending their ranges and others contracting northwards.
The lecture will describe examples of changes in phenology and distribution, and discuss possible consequences for future conservation. Newcomers and range extensions may often be welcomes, but cold-adapted species such as Arctic-Alpine plants will be at increasing risk. Moreover, warming of the North Sea is having major impacts on marine food webs to the disadvantage of seabirds including Puffins and Kittiwakes.
This will be followed by the opportunity to purchase and have signed Trevor ‘s publications.