According to a recent New York Times article
, many plants best-suited for a hot, dry climate such as that of Georgia now are thriving in the northeast, even as far north as Canada, as an effect of global warming. Data show that mean temperatures are increasing globally, a phenomenon widely believed to be the result of heat-trapping gases from human activities. While gardeners around the nation reap the benefit of this recent plant migration, conversely, pest populations are thriving as well; scientists have stated that global warming, in fact, is more beneficial to pests than plants. Of further concern is the effect the introduction of foreign plant species will have on native species as they vie for the same habitat as well as the environmental void in their native habitats that could be created by the migration of these flora. For more information, please visit the following NSDL resources.
GardenNet: the premier gateway to gardening on the Internet!
A website containing information on gardening for novices and green thumbs alike.
Grade Level: Informal learner
Global Warming Unit:
A website that provides a variety of classroom activities that enable students to investigate the effects of global warming.
Grade Level: Middle School, High School
The Helpful Gardener:
http://www.helpfulgardener.com/
A website featuring an array of articles on various plant denizens and their care.
Grade Level: Informal Learner
Here are some other resources (particularly for the Northeast U.S.) about climate change and gardening/agriculture:
Climate Change and Northeast Agriculture
http://www.climateandfarming.org/
This site provides a unique and comprehensive set of resource materials to help farmers make practical and profitable responses to climate changes.
Will Warm Winter Wither Plants?
http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/warm_winter/
An article I wrote in January that includes a section based on the work of David Wolfe here in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell detailing the changes in store for the Northeast due to climate change.
How will global warming affect your gardening?
http://www.remarc.com/craig/?p=34
A blog post I made essentially repeating Wolfe’s insights.
Craig Cramer
Communications Specialist
Department of Horticulture
Cornell University
Thanks for contributing these references to NSDL!
[…] Southern Plant Species Bask in Northern Heat Polar Bears Face Sudden Meltdown […]
Yes, global warming its causing a lot of changes in the world climate.
Speaking for personal experience, I’m finding that plants from warmer climates are surviving even here in Scotland