Posted on 03/27/2009 1:01:33 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
TOKYO (AFP) – Japan's celebrated cherry blossom, which for millions heralds the start of spring, is under threat from climate change, according to experts, who say warmer weather is causing early flowering.
Cherry blossom season officially began in Tokyo this year on March 21 -- five days ahead of schedule and a full week earlier than the average for the last 30 years of the 20th century.
Far from being a freak occurrence, the phenomenon of early blossoming has been happening for several years, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Traditionally, the first sakura -- cherry tree -- flowers appear in the second half of March on the southern islands of the Japanese archipelago and advance slowly up the central island of Honshu towards the far north.
However, according to the JMA, the "blossoming line" -- the latitude where trees start to flower on a given day -- on April 1, which 40 years ago was in the south of Honshu, is now about 200 kilometres (125 miles) further north.
This change, according to JMA climate expert Takashi Yoshida, is caused "by a warming climate and urbanisation."
City temperatures are noticeably higher than those in the countryside, say experts.
They point to the warming effects of cars, heaters and air-conditioners, coupled with the absence of open spaces and the concentration of materials that absorb the sun's heat, such as tar on roads.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Cherry blossoms at Ueno Park in Tokyo. Japan's celebrated cherry blossom, which for millions heralds the start of spring,
is under threat from climate change, according to experts, who say warmer weather is causing early flowering
(AFP/File/Toru Yamanaka)
Lilacs are going to leaf out in about a week but that’s not unusual for here.
The flowering trees in my business park are several weeks late in starting.
Increased concentrations of Carbon Dioxide make a lot of plants form leaves earlier. But that’s a good thing. It means the plants have decided that the benefits of going active outweigh the costs at an earlier time. The result is an increased yield.
Most plants are perpetually starving for inadequate carbon dioxide, not inadequate water. With adequate carbon dioxide, plants can hold their stomates closed and retain water. But with inadequate carbon dioxide, plants must hold open their stomates wider and longer to respire, and the temperatures dessicate them.
I notice the people in the AP photo appear to have on coats or at least long sleeve jackets of some kind. The blossoms are under threat from climate change? Well, no, they are just blooming several days earlier. I am not sure how that is a threat.
Like petals on the wind
such is our blossom life
how can we think it’s fragrance
lasts forever...
It’s only a threat if you booked your trip to Japan for March 26.
I think as the weather continues to get warmer, more and more of these idiot “experts” will be blooming. They’ve had a hard, long, cold winter.
Ah yes, let's compare today with 40 years ago when the weather was cooler and concerns were global cooling.
No bias though!
From every direction
cherry blossom petals blow
into Lake Biwa.
It also snowed in Tokyo this year, which hasn’t happened in a while. You can blame the sakura on the huge heat island that Tokyo creates. It’s 10-15 degrees warmer than the surrounding forested areas.
The crocuses bloomed later this year than any year since I have been recording their bloom dates. About 80% of the March days have had temperatures below normal. Seems rather cold to me.
Oh Horsecrap!
There are no cherry blossoms where I am sitting and I know damn good and well we have had much earlier bloomings in Tokyo than this year.
If anything, it’s late this year because the three day weekend earlier this month is sort of a semi-traditional time for cherry blossom viewing.
This dingaling AP writer either has no idea what he is talking about or he is promoting an agenda. Probably both.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
