Charity warns of climate risk to UK wildlife

A WILDLIFE charity has warned that ecosystems and animals are at risk, after a new year study suggested changes to British and Irish flora could be linked to climate change.

- IZZIE ADDISON

A survey recording plants in flower around New Year's Day suggests rising temperatures could be linked to changes in the blooming patterns of plants, Met Office analysis has shown.

The 10th annual survey shows a “significant relationship” between warmer weather and more flowers blooming, the forecaster said.

The survey found 310 native species in flower, considerably more than the 10 expected at this time of year, with around half flowering late and a quarter flowering early.

Changes to when plants bloom is cause for concern for some species of wildlife, which rely on regular blooming patterns for feeding, breeding and hibernation cycles.

A spokeswoman for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), which runs the survey, said the flowering period for most plants has not changed, meaning those that flower early may no longer be in bloom when wildlife needs them.

According to the study, dandelions, gorse, lesser celandine and cow parsley were among the common species to flower early.

Kathryn Brown, director of climate change and evidence at the Wildlife Trusts, described the issue as an “ecological mismatch” between the natural cycles of plants and wildlife.