A study undertaken by researchers at the Kunming Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences has found that continued global warming may lead to shorter floral life of plants.
Researchers from the institute presented the first global quantification of the latitudinal pattern of floral longevity and the relationships between floral longevity and a range of biotic and abiotic factors, using published data on floral longevity from 818 angiosperm species.
The study which was recently published in the journal – New Phytologist, found that the environmental temperature during the flowering season shows the highest influence on the longevity of flowers.
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It also found that in areas of high temperature, drought, and strong solar radiation, plants tended to have shorter floral lives.
According to the study, continuous global warming and extreme high-temperature events may shorten the flower life of plants, and then aggravate the insufficient pollination of plants, resulting in changes in plant population or geographical distribution.
Results from the research provided a reference for the conservation of plant diversity under global climate change.
Story was adapted from Punch.
