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Climate Clues in Bloom Schedules12-19-08 | News

Climate Clues in Bloom Schedules

Researchers began a nationwide initiative called Project BudBurst to track climate change by recording the timing of the first bud, first flower, and seed dispersal for plants across the country. They encouraged people to record information on their own sites and compile those findings to build a comprehensive record of the changing climate.

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Participants choose a plant or plants to observe, then begin checking their plants at least a week before the date of the average budburst. They are looking for the point at which the buds have opened to reveal visible leaves.

Participants report that data, and continue to observe the plant for other events such as first leaf, first flower, and also seed dispersal. Project BudBurst takes the records that participants input, then creates maps of these events across the United States.