Japanese cherry blossoms in full bloom, setting the record for the earliest blooming time in 1,200 years

Blooming cherry blossoms make the scenery in Japan even more beautiful, but this is the earliest blooming year in the history of 1,200 years.

Japanese cherry blossoms in full bloom, setting the record for the earliest blooming time of 1,200 years Cherry blossoms, also known as ‘sakura’, the symbol of Japan in bloom, the country is experiencing one of the best times of the year. White and pink flowers bloom throughout the cities and mountainous regions, and thousands of petals cover the ground. For more than a thousand years, Japanese people who have maintained the tradition of seeing cherry blossoms often experience a period of ‘peak full bloom’ only a few days. People often flock to popular places to take photos, camping right below the beautiful blooming trees. But this year, the cherry blossom season comes early and fades quickly. In downtown Kyoto, cherry blossoms are recorded in full bloom for the first time in the history of 1,200 years. Besides the joy of seeing cherry blossoms early, scientists also warn it is a sign of the ‘climate crisis’ that is threatening ecosystems everywhere. Yasuyuki Aono, a researcher at Osaka Prefecture University, collected records from Kyoto city, from historical documents, diaries that the cherry blossom season in downtown Kyoto this year is the year. as early as 1,200 years. In Tokyo, this is the second recorded early blooming time. The last time cherry blossoms peaked at this time of year was 1953, almost 70 years ago. Dr. Lewis Ziska, from Columbia University’s environmental health science, said: “As global temperatures warm, the last frosts of spring appear earlier and flowering occurs early. than”. The timing of peak blooms varies from year to year depending on many factors including weather and precipitation but the recent trend has been ‘earlier and earlier’. “Cherry blossoms are very sensitive to temperature,” said Yasuyuki Aono. Flowering and blooming may be earlier or later depending on the temperature. The winter is very cold, but spring comes surprisingly fast and warm. Young shoots wake up after a period of full rest. ” However, early blooming cherry blossoms are just the tip of the iceberg, a worldwide phenomenon that can destabilize the natural systems and economies of nations. There are two sources of increased heat that are the main drivers of earlier blooms, urbanization and climate change. With increasing urbanization, cities tend to become warmer than surrounding rural areas, known as the heat island effect. But there’s a bigger reason why climate change is causing temperatures in the region and around the world to soar. The day when cherry blossoms bloom early not only appear in Japan, but also occur in some other areas such as Washington, USA. And these earlier blooming days are not only a matter of tourists scrambling to see the flowers in full bloom before their petals fall, but they also have a long-term impact on the entire ecosystem and threaten the existence of many species. The effects of climate change are not limited to cherry blossoms. Many other plant species also experience changes in their lifecycle, which can even drastically affect the stability of their ecosystems. In some areas, farmers may have to change the type of crop. Some climates become too hot for what the tree can tolerate to thrive. Meanwhile, other climates experience more floods, more snow, and increased humidity in the air, which limits the plants that can be planted.