A major new study by scientists at Trinity College Dublin will be of interest to pupils and teachers taking part in the Greenwave project.
The new Nature Watch website
The TCD researchers have found that Irish trees, birds and insects have been affected by rising spring temperatures over the past 40 years.
“The research has shown that the earlier occurrence of these events is related to rising spring temperature associated with global warming”
- Dr Alison Donnelly from TCD, who led the research
The research project at TCD’s Centre for the Environment, in its School of Natural Sciences, has been funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. It found that trees such as beech and poplar are leafing earlier in recent years than they were 30 years ago.
They also discovered that birds such as the swallow and cuckoo are arriving in Ireland earlier in spring and that insects such as brimstone and flame carpet moths are not only appearing earlier, but are also exhibiting longer flight periods.
Phenology
Spring 2010 in Ireland was the coldest for decades, so many of these life-cycle events (called “phenology”) in plants and animals have been delayed by several weeks.
Due to the sensitivity of phenology to changes in temperature it acts as a very useful indicator of long-term climate change.
However, up to now the only data available for Ireland has involved a small number of species and areas of the country, so more data is needed to examine the potential impact of further climate change on Irish plant and animal life.
About Greenwave
Greenwave is a mass science experiment in which primary schools examine and record how spring arrives in Ireland.
The students observe and record when certain plants and animals react to the longer days and warmer temperatures, in order to find out whether the “green wave” of spring moves from south to north across Ireland or inland from the coast to the centre of the country.
Nature Watch and Greenwave.ie are part of a growing network of websites across the world which rely on nature lovers to contribute to scientific research.
Nature Watch
The scientists at TCD have launched a new website called Nature Watch in collaboration with the National Biodiversity Data Centre.
This “citizen science” project invites members of the public to participate in a national search for environmental data.
It works in a similar way to Greenwave: members of the public will record the dates on which they see the first snowdrops, swallows, butterflies and other phenological events in their locality throughout the year.
The site also has useful links to topical articles about phenology.
Learn more
Visit the Nature Watch website
Learn how your school can take part in Greenwave
Find out more about research and courses at the School of Natural Sciences in TCD
Read the Environmental Protection Agency guide about what you can do about climate change
