Here are some facts about the effect that climate change is having on British Wildlife - well Scottish Wildlife anyway. The folowing facts and figures have been shamelessly lifted from an article that appears in this weeks edition of Scottish Farmer.
Out of more than 500 spring or summer biological events (wild birds laying eggs, emergence of aphids or butterflies, flowering of plants etc), 74% showed some evidence of being arlier this year.
Scottish Natural Heritage warn that that the different rates of change in species could mean that food chains will be knocked out of balance - meaning some species may suffer whilst others may benefit.
Aphids appear to be particularly responsive to climate change as scientists are now catching them on average 16 days earlier than at the start of regular emergence recording 34 years ago.
In addition, butterflies are arriving 7.6 days earlier over 28 years of monitoring, moths arriving 5.1 days earlier over a recording period of 31 years.
On average, birds are nesting 4 days earlier than 38 years ago.
All these changes seem to be related to climate change.
Out of more than 500 spring or summer biological events (wild birds laying eggs, emergence of aphids or butterflies, flowering of plants etc), 74% showed some evidence of being arlier this year.
Scottish Natural Heritage warn that that the different rates of change in species could mean that food chains will be knocked out of balance - meaning some species may suffer whilst others may benefit.
Aphids appear to be particularly responsive to climate change as scientists are now catching them on average 16 days earlier than at the start of regular emergence recording 34 years ago.
In addition, butterflies are arriving 7.6 days earlier over 28 years of monitoring, moths arriving 5.1 days earlier over a recording period of 31 years.
On average, birds are nesting 4 days earlier than 38 years ago.
All these changes seem to be related to climate change.
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