Study: spring in Swiss Alps starts earlier and earlier

The warming climate is causing Alpine plants to sprout much earlier - on average six days earlier than 25 years ago - a Swiss study shows. This affects biodiversity, agriculture and the ecological balance. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The reason for the change is the significant rise in temperatures in the Alps. After the disappearance of snow cover in spring, the ambient temperature is almost two degrees Celsius warmer than it was in 1998, the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF said on Friday. A study by researcher and biologist Michael Zehnder, newly published in the Global Change Biology journal, examines this trend. This phenomenon also has consequences for the economy and society. Not only does it attract visitors to the mountains earlier, but Alpine farming could also start earlier in future. Change in biodiversity According to the study, biodiversity in the Alps will also change. Not all plants grow at the same time after the ...