Around this time “pit of winter” but temperatures are not doing the trick. With the continued mild weather, nature is already waking up. Some species are getting there very early and are already coming out of hibernation. “Amphibians are the best example,” says Dominique Verbelen.
He went on an inspection for VRT NWS yesterday and quite quickly came across an alpine newt, fire salamander, fin-legged newt and brown frog in a nature reserve in Schelderode, near Ghent. In pools, depending on the location, you can already find a few dozen salamanders, he adds. So they are already coming out of hibernation, whereas that is actually not until February or even March.
“This is not normal,” Verbelen says. “It’s not problematic yet, but it could become so.” For example, if another frost period like December were to arrive this winter. Or by the succession of unpredictable or exceptional weather phenomena, as we have been experiencing for several years – think also of last summer’s dried-out pools and streams.
“If amphibians have one or two setbacks, that’s not necessarily a problem. But if it persists, then yes, there is a longer-term problem,” says Verbelen. The often abrupt change from (too) warm to (relatively) cold during our winters can start to play tricks on amphibians.
What exactly about amphibian hibernation? In temperate climate zones, such as in Flanders, amphibians accumulate energy reserves in summer in the form of fat, which is the necessary reserve to get through hibernation alive, Verbelen explains. “During cold winters, the metabolism of hibernating specimens is very slow and these reserves are only used up to a small extent. Mild winters, however, cause a higher metabolism, so the fat reserves are burned faster (and thus used up faster).”
This leaves some amphibians with only too small a fat reserve to make it through the rest of that hibernation period. Some then don’t make it to spring. Those that do survive often have relatively poor body condition, and that reduced body condition can cause the number and quality of eggs to be lower. “Once such a negative chain reaction is established, it is scary to wait and see what the long-term consequences might be.” Or as Verbelen puts it, “Getting up too early can turn out badly.”
Not only amphibians suffer from a disturbed biorhythm. Other animals such as hedgehogs or toads are also out of sorts due to the extremely mild weather, and even some lemon moths have already been spotted. “With lemon moths, they are adult butterflies that hibernate. Another species that does so is the day peacock. For those species in particular, persistent mild temperatures pose a danger. But make no mistake: just because we’ve seen two lemon moths doesn’t mean there’s a problem,” said Wim Veraghtert of Natuurpunt.
In fact, there are still tens of thousands of lemon butterflies that are still okay. “We especially hope that, if they have already woken up, they don’t start flying around yet. Because then they consume energy while there is no (or hardly any) food in the form of nectar. If it stayed this mild for another week, we would begin to see more butterflies. So this should not last too long.” Basically, temperatures that stay below 10 degrees are okay for this.
Other butterflies do not hibernate; for eggs or for caterpillars, this mild weather potentially does less harm.
While it’s not too bad for butterflies for now, it’s more dangerous for toads and hedgehogs.
Several reports of flattened toads have already come in. They had started their annual migration – far too early – while no measures are currently in place to manage the migration, such as roadside cordons to keep the animals from crossing dangerously on a busy road.
“Maybe we should get there earlier this year,” said Dominique Verbelen, who is co-coordinating toad measures in Flanders. Toad migration is quite unpredictable due to the changing weather, but normally the big toad migration is for late February or March. In recent years, it has been earlier more often.
The negative impact of mild winters on common toads, among others, is already evident, according to a recent study. Researchers have been collecting data since the 1970s at relocation events in the United Kingdom and Switzerland. In quite a few locations, populations of the common toad appear to be in constant decline. “The decline is even so strong that in both countries the species is almost eligible for inclusion on the Red List,” Verbelen said. “We also see this sharply declining trend in Flanders. Or how the common toad seems to be slowly becoming less common.”
There are also already several reports of hedgehogs going on adventures. They too are waking up from hibernation earlier. Because they become active again more quickly, they are already drawing on their fat reserves, which is not a good thing. If it were to get cold again, they might try hibernating again, but it’s not ideal. “It’s not a button you can just turn on and off,” Veraghtert said.
And again, what is true of other species is that nature is resilient and can take a beating, but the succession of extremes can weaken it considerably and at some point may become too much.
Even birds are already noticeable. Or then maybe because we don’t see certain species. Species that normally come from the far north to winter with us are now only flying as far as Denmark because they are already feeling good there too. “Arctic geese arrive in Denmark and think ‘why should I fly further, it’s pleasant here and I can save some fuel,'” Verbelen winks. In turn, other species try to winter with us, where they would otherwise migrate to the deep south. But it involves risks, for example if it suddenly does start freezing hard here.
The hazels are already blooming. That too is very early, although it has already happened. “It is early, but the hazel is simply a winter bloomer,” Wim Veraghtert points out.
“How exceptional this is depends on what you compare it to. If you go back 30 years, the hazel (in the Netherlands, ed.) bloomed around Feb. 20, and by comparison this is very early. But if you look at the past 10 years, this is not exceptional. So in our current frame of reference, it’s not an exception, but it shows nicely how climate change is taking hold.”
Translated with DeepL.com
——-
Thisisfine.jpg
Oh no! Anyway, who cares. When you live in the city like me, all you see are pigeons and rodents anyways. And they’re doing just fine.
I’ve been in Switzerland for 2.5 weeks now and the weather and snow conditions are just sad, as they have been the previous two years as well. Rain up to 2500m height, way too hot. Lots of lower or south facing ski resorts haven’t even been able to open and a lot of them will probably have to close down permanently in the coming years. The climate is fucked.
I was saying I was not happy about hearing birds in the morning.
‘But you always say you love hearing birds!’ said my partner.
Well yes, but on January 1st/2nd, I am well afraid they will all die if the temperatures collapse too suddenly.
5 comments
No shit :”)
Around this time “pit of winter” but temperatures are not doing the trick. With the continued mild weather, nature is already waking up. Some species are getting there very early and are already coming out of hibernation. “Amphibians are the best example,” says Dominique Verbelen.
He went on an inspection for VRT NWS yesterday and quite quickly came across an alpine newt, fire salamander, fin-legged newt and brown frog in a nature reserve in Schelderode, near Ghent. In pools, depending on the location, you can already find a few dozen salamanders, he adds. So they are already coming out of hibernation, whereas that is actually not until February or even March.
“This is not normal,” Verbelen says. “It’s not problematic yet, but it could become so.” For example, if another frost period like December were to arrive this winter. Or by the succession of unpredictable or exceptional weather phenomena, as we have been experiencing for several years – think also of last summer’s dried-out pools and streams.
“If amphibians have one or two setbacks, that’s not necessarily a problem. But if it persists, then yes, there is a longer-term problem,” says Verbelen. The often abrupt change from (too) warm to (relatively) cold during our winters can start to play tricks on amphibians.
What exactly about amphibian hibernation? In temperate climate zones, such as in Flanders, amphibians accumulate energy reserves in summer in the form of fat, which is the necessary reserve to get through hibernation alive, Verbelen explains. “During cold winters, the metabolism of hibernating specimens is very slow and these reserves are only used up to a small extent. Mild winters, however, cause a higher metabolism, so the fat reserves are burned faster (and thus used up faster).”
This leaves some amphibians with only too small a fat reserve to make it through the rest of that hibernation period. Some then don’t make it to spring. Those that do survive often have relatively poor body condition, and that reduced body condition can cause the number and quality of eggs to be lower. “Once such a negative chain reaction is established, it is scary to wait and see what the long-term consequences might be.” Or as Verbelen puts it, “Getting up too early can turn out badly.”
Not only amphibians suffer from a disturbed biorhythm. Other animals such as hedgehogs or toads are also out of sorts due to the extremely mild weather, and even some lemon moths have already been spotted. “With lemon moths, they are adult butterflies that hibernate. Another species that does so is the day peacock. For those species in particular, persistent mild temperatures pose a danger. But make no mistake: just because we’ve seen two lemon moths doesn’t mean there’s a problem,” said Wim Veraghtert of Natuurpunt.
In fact, there are still tens of thousands of lemon butterflies that are still okay. “We especially hope that, if they have already woken up, they don’t start flying around yet. Because then they consume energy while there is no (or hardly any) food in the form of nectar. If it stayed this mild for another week, we would begin to see more butterflies. So this should not last too long.” Basically, temperatures that stay below 10 degrees are okay for this.
Other butterflies do not hibernate; for eggs or for caterpillars, this mild weather potentially does less harm.
While it’s not too bad for butterflies for now, it’s more dangerous for toads and hedgehogs.
Several reports of flattened toads have already come in. They had started their annual migration – far too early – while no measures are currently in place to manage the migration, such as roadside cordons to keep the animals from crossing dangerously on a busy road.
“Maybe we should get there earlier this year,” said Dominique Verbelen, who is co-coordinating toad measures in Flanders. Toad migration is quite unpredictable due to the changing weather, but normally the big toad migration is for late February or March. In recent years, it has been earlier more often.
The negative impact of mild winters on common toads, among others, is already evident, according to a recent study. Researchers have been collecting data since the 1970s at relocation events in the United Kingdom and Switzerland. In quite a few locations, populations of the common toad appear to be in constant decline. “The decline is even so strong that in both countries the species is almost eligible for inclusion on the Red List,” Verbelen said. “We also see this sharply declining trend in Flanders. Or how the common toad seems to be slowly becoming less common.”
There are also already several reports of hedgehogs going on adventures. They too are waking up from hibernation earlier. Because they become active again more quickly, they are already drawing on their fat reserves, which is not a good thing. If it were to get cold again, they might try hibernating again, but it’s not ideal. “It’s not a button you can just turn on and off,” Veraghtert said.
And again, what is true of other species is that nature is resilient and can take a beating, but the succession of extremes can weaken it considerably and at some point may become too much.
Even birds are already noticeable. Or then maybe because we don’t see certain species. Species that normally come from the far north to winter with us are now only flying as far as Denmark because they are already feeling good there too. “Arctic geese arrive in Denmark and think ‘why should I fly further, it’s pleasant here and I can save some fuel,'” Verbelen winks. In turn, other species try to winter with us, where they would otherwise migrate to the deep south. But it involves risks, for example if it suddenly does start freezing hard here.
The hazels are already blooming. That too is very early, although it has already happened. “It is early, but the hazel is simply a winter bloomer,” Wim Veraghtert points out.
“How exceptional this is depends on what you compare it to. If you go back 30 years, the hazel (in the Netherlands, ed.) bloomed around Feb. 20, and by comparison this is very early. But if you look at the past 10 years, this is not exceptional. So in our current frame of reference, it’s not an exception, but it shows nicely how climate change is taking hold.”
Translated with DeepL.com
——-
Thisisfine.jpg
Oh no! Anyway, who cares. When you live in the city like me, all you see are pigeons and rodents anyways. And they’re doing just fine.
I’ve been in Switzerland for 2.5 weeks now and the weather and snow conditions are just sad, as they have been the previous two years as well. Rain up to 2500m height, way too hot. Lots of lower or south facing ski resorts haven’t even been able to open and a lot of them will probably have to close down permanently in the coming years. The climate is fucked.
I was saying I was not happy about hearing birds in the morning.
‘But you always say you love hearing birds!’ said my partner.
Well yes, but on January 1st/2nd, I am well afraid they will all die if the temperatures collapse too suddenly.