Effect of Climate Change on Flowers

• 06 Jul 2022

Why in News?

Recently, Dr. S.K. Singh said that due to climate change in Uttarakhand, not only the flowers have started blooming before the scheduled time, but their colours are also changing.

Key Points

• According to the scientists of the Botanical Survey of India, 4.5 lac such plants are found in the whole world, in which flowers bloom. Out of these 40,000 species of flora are found in India. There are 20 thousand species in which flowers bloom on time. The process of blooming of flowers starts only in certain temperature and environment.
• There are some flowers that indicate the arrival of the seasons, but now due to climate change, the time of flower blooming is also seeing a change.
• According to Dr. S.K Singh, Brahma Kamal, the state flower found in the high Himalayan regions of the state, has also started blooming before the scheduled time. At the same time, in the Valley of Flowers, things are coming out about flowers blooming before time.
• Due to climate change and increase in temperature, now the colors of flowers are also changing. According to an article published in the American science journal Current Biology, chemical changes are also being seen in the pigments of flowers. The pigment itself absorbs ultraviolet rays. The maximum effect of ultraviolet rays is being seen on the flowers of high Himalayan regions.
• The research also revealed that the depletion of the ozone layer due to excessive carbon emissions and the arrival of more ultraviolet rays on the earth has also affected the pollen grains of flowers. This has also been a reason for the change in the time and colour of the flowers.