Polish plant seasons shifted weeks earlier over 80 years
Szwed M, Lewicki M
Phenology
If you garden anywhere in Central or Eastern Europe's climate zone, the calendar you learned growing up for planting, pruning, and frost risk is already out of date by a week or more.
Scientists tracked when wild plants across Poland leaf out, flower, and drop leaves at 36 stations, comparing the late 1940s-50s to 2007-2021. They found spring-like conditions now start up to 10 days earlier, the cold season has shrunk, and the warm stretch from spring through early autumn has lengthened, with early autumn gaining a full 8 extra days. Winter's start date, though, has stayed surprisingly steady.
Key Findings
Very early spring now begins about 10 days earlier on average across Poland, shortening winter.
Seasons from early spring through early autumn have advanced by nearly 4 to over 10 days, while autumn onset has been delayed by about 4 days.
Early autumn's duration has grown the most, by 8 days, while winter's onset timing has remained stable over the 80-year period.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Poland's plant seasons have shifted dramatically over 80 years: spring now arrives up to 10 days earlier, winter is shorter, and the warm growing season has stretched out, with early autumn alone gaining 8 extra days.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
The phenological seasons of Poland in the warming world.
The aim of the study is to examine the impact of climate change on plant phenology and the shift of phenological seasons. This paper considers phenophases of wild-growing plants in Poland at 36 obs...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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