1st March 2006
Press release issued by the Natural Environment Research Council on behalf of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Spring Secrets: Lost flower records to show climate change effects
Recently discovered records found in an attic are set to bring new life to an annual hunt for wild flowers.
After decades lost in a musty cardboard box left in an attic at the Wild Flower Society, the records were unearthed by a couple inspired by BBC's Springwatch project, which aims to highlight flora and fauna as spring approaches.
The records, found by Wild Flower Society (WFS) members Derek and Lorna Holland, date back to a 1920s style Springwatch, known as the First Week Hunt. Still run by the WFS today, the Hunt involves people recording plants that they see in flower during the first seven days of March.
To capitalise on the newly discovered records, The WFS has embarked on a joint venture with the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and the Woodland Trust, the two organisations behind the BBC's Springwatch series.
Dr Tim Sparks, an environmental scientist with the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology said "These records may give us the unique opportunity to understand how climate change has affected the number of flowering British plants over the last eight decades. Only through the continued commitment of these volunteer flower watchers at the Wild Flower Society is this possible".
The results from this year's First Week Hunt will be added to the recently discovered archive of flowering dates. Dr Sparks added "The expectation is that climate warming will have resulted in increased early flowering - and now at last we have some evidence to test this theory "
Initial analysis of the records from 1921-1929 display a very clear relationship between the numbers of plants in flower and the mean temperature of the two months (January and February) preceding the Hunt. These years represent both cold (1929: mean 0.8 degrees C, 27 species) and warm years (1921: 6.0 degrees C, 66 species) and suggest that each additional 1 degrees C will result in an additional 8 species in flower.
ENDS
Notes for editors
For more information contact the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Press office: Barnaby Smith, tel: 07920 295384 (preferred) or 01491 692439 (2 days a week) e-mail: cehpress@ceh.ac.uk
- This years First Week Hunt will run from 1st to 7th March 2006
- Show stopping plants likely to be in flower during the First Week Hunt include Primroses - (prima rosa - i.e. first rose), wild daffodils and Hazel Catkins
- The Wild Flower Society (WFS) is a national society for everyone who loves wild plants, especially children. It promotes education about the British flora by running field meetings, competitions such as the First Week Hunt and publishing a newsletter. A distinctive feature of the society is the 'Wild Flower Diary' and 'Beginner's Diary' record books in which members list the plants they find in flower from March to October each year. As botany is no longer taught in most schools, keeping a WFS diary is a great way to learn about finding and naming plants. For more information visit the WFS website http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/wfsoc or email: wfs@grantais.demon.co.uk
