Oak leaves in Britain are still mostly green. The oak is one of the last trees to change colour in autumn, although many have already dropped their acorns. But the days of finding lots of big acorns may be drawing to a close since they are falling victim to climate change.
A study of acorns has revealed that the warmer the weather the smaller the crop of acorns. Tim Sparks, a professor at Coventry University, has examined more than 160,000 observations of oaks and found that the more the first dates of flowering vary in springtime the poorer the acorn crop. In warmer springs the oak trees flower in a less synchronised fashion over a longer period and this gives a smaller crop of acorns in autumn, a drop of about 20%.
Continue reading…
Source: Guardian Environment