California
Will there be a 'superbloom' this year in California? – Times of India
NEW DELHI: The vast deserts of Southern California, the dramatic bluffs of the Bay Area, and even the areas near Los Angeles International Airport are starting to be covered in carpets of yellow, orange, and gold flowers.
However, the question remains: do these blooms qualify as a “superbloom“? The term lacks a single definition, and this year’s blooms have not been as vibrant or abundant as those that blanketed parts of California last spring following drought-busting rains, despite the state receiving ample winter rains this year as well.
After particularly wet winters, bursts of color may appear in the spring, attracting throngs of visitors to California and other parts of the Southwest to witness the flowering fields and capture photographs. Scientists do not agree on a single definition of a superbloom. In California and Arizona, there are areas of desert that can quickly transform into dense fields of wildflowers, as seeds lie dormant in the soil and then germinate and blossom at around the same time.
According to Naomi Fraga, director of conservation programs at the California Botanic Garden, this year’s blooms do not qualify as a superbloom due to the lack of huge diversity in the flowers that have blossomed in places like California’s Death Valley. The wildflower display this year, while still beautiful, is not as large or dense as in past years. Evan Meyer, executive director of the California-based nonprofit Theodore Payne Foundation, believes that whether this year’s blooms constitute a superbloom is “really in the eye of the beholder.”
April is typically the peak month for spring wildflowers, but in high-elevation places, they can continue to blossom later into the spring. Superblooms generally refer to low-elevation desert regions, and the timing is more geographic than seasonal. When temperatures rise in the desert, the flowers can quickly dry out. The effects of climate change on wildflowers could play out over decades or even centuries, as seeds stay dormant in the soil for long periods of time. Southern California’s unusual heavy rain last summer and higher than average winter temperatures have contributed to an unusual bloom this year.
However, the question remains: do these blooms qualify as a “superbloom“? The term lacks a single definition, and this year’s blooms have not been as vibrant or abundant as those that blanketed parts of California last spring following drought-busting rains, despite the state receiving ample winter rains this year as well.
After particularly wet winters, bursts of color may appear in the spring, attracting throngs of visitors to California and other parts of the Southwest to witness the flowering fields and capture photographs. Scientists do not agree on a single definition of a superbloom. In California and Arizona, there are areas of desert that can quickly transform into dense fields of wildflowers, as seeds lie dormant in the soil and then germinate and blossom at around the same time.
According to Naomi Fraga, director of conservation programs at the California Botanic Garden, this year’s blooms do not qualify as a superbloom due to the lack of huge diversity in the flowers that have blossomed in places like California’s Death Valley. The wildflower display this year, while still beautiful, is not as large or dense as in past years. Evan Meyer, executive director of the California-based nonprofit Theodore Payne Foundation, believes that whether this year’s blooms constitute a superbloom is “really in the eye of the beholder.”
April is typically the peak month for spring wildflowers, but in high-elevation places, they can continue to blossom later into the spring. Superblooms generally refer to low-elevation desert regions, and the timing is more geographic than seasonal. When temperatures rise in the desert, the flowers can quickly dry out. The effects of climate change on wildflowers could play out over decades or even centuries, as seeds stay dormant in the soil for long periods of time. Southern California’s unusual heavy rain last summer and higher than average winter temperatures have contributed to an unusual bloom this year.