Diversity and flowering

DECLINING PLANT diversity causes plants to flower earlier and the effects of diversity loss on the timing of flowering are similar in magnitude to the effects of global warming. Scientists created a grassland plot in California with 16 different species of plants, and systematically removed species to see what effect it would have on the remaining plants. As they reduced plant diversity, they observed warmer ground temperatures, changes in soil and flowering timings. They say declining diversity is exacerbating phenological changes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, March 13