AgroParis Tech, a collection of French academic institutions, recently conducted a study looking at plant migration data from six major regions across Europe. The findings were that a whopping 118 out of the 171 plant species tracked have migrated northward and will probably continue to do so. As a result of the rising temperature of this biome, significant numbers of plant species have been driven northward in search of asylum from the raging temperatures.

The study reveals that these emigrating populations have traveled an average of 95 altitudinal feet each decade since 1905. Domestic herbs and ferns, which have shorter lifespans, have migrated farther because they reproduce frequently, providing many opportunities for seed to spread. In contrast, forest populations are unable to migrate fast enough to keep up with the speed of climate change.

This northward migration may not in and of itself seem to be such an issue, however, there are two major ramifications of this study to consider.

The first consequence is that the forest species include not only long-lived trees, which reproduce more slowly, but also the flora and fauna who depend on them. Should these species of trees be wiped out by their inability to adapt to global warming, so will all the life that depends on them. This could wipe out any number of keystone species and put the entire forest ecosystem at risk of destruction.

The second consequence is that these mountainous regions were not previously considered to be “at risk” of experiencing any dramatic change due to global warming. The study has revealed that this is certainly not the case. This underestimation of the effect of global warming on these allegedly stable regions has brought about a skepticism concerning the ecological security of other regions already considered vulnerable to global warming’s aftermath and triggering apprehension throughout the scientific community.

News article links: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25400941/
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2008/06/27/plants-climb-mountains-to-escape-global-warming/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080626-plants-warming.html

Science article: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/320/5884/1768

Question for comment: What kinds of climates are more “at risk” to climate changes than these?