The spring that froze

We thought we were in for a mild winter until suddenly temperatures plunged. Spring’s on hold, writes Nrc.


Arnold van Vliet teaches environmental systems analysis at the University of Wageningen and is coordinator of the Natuurkalender (Nature calendar) which monitors recurring natural phenomena. Last month all the signs pointed to an early spring: the crocuses were flowering and shortly afterwards the narcissi put in an appearance, something that normally occurs in April.
Velvet crabs
Butterflies, flowering witch hazel trees, nudibranchia and velvet crabs all flew, grew and swam because of the above average temperatures, Van Vliet tells the paper. ‘But now it’s control alt delete for many flowers and butterflies. ’ Trees have not suffered as much because the sap hasn’t started to rise properly yet although the same doesn’t hold true for fruit trees and growers are worried about the consequences of this peculiar winter weather.
Birds also mistakenly thought spring was here. Cormorants came back early and started to build their nests, the society for the protection of birds tells the paper. And the swans decided to head a little further south to escape the big freeze. Ducks, curlews and woodcocks migrated en masse to France, not a good choice because the French are allowed to hunt all three species. Rare species that have fled to France are also under threat from the shoot first, look later attitude of the hunters, the society says.
Extremes
Van Vliet thinks the abrupt change from warm to freezing cold weather is probably a result of climate change which is characterised by extreme weather types. ‘Last year was very dry to start with, then extremely wet with a mild winter. And now this cold. We have never seen anything like these extremes’, Van Vliet says.
What is needed is a plan for the future, Van Vliet says. ‘Plants and animals don’t have an easy time of it here anyway. What they want is more space to find shelter from extreme weather. But it’s not likely to happen with junior minister Bleker at the helm’.

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