Seasonal shifting
Earlier snowmelt in high-altitude meadows has caused many species to adjust
to earlier springs. For 50 years researchers at the Rocky Mountain Biological
Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado, have collected data showing that plants such
as the glacier lily are flowering sooner, and some of their pollinators, including
hummingbirds migrating from Mexico, have sped up their arrival schedules.
Approximate snowmelt
2016-2021
1975-1980
23 days earlier
May 4
First bloom, western spring beauty*
May 27
Broad-tailed hummingbird
12 days earlier
Glacier lily
May 5
First arrival
May 17
17 days earlier
May 21
First bloom
June 7
May 4
31
June 1
15
*The western spring beauty is used by researchers as a proxy for snowmelt.
Lucas Petrin, NGM Staff. Kelsey Nowakowski.
Sources: Brian D. Inouye, Florida State University; Billy Barr; Rocky Mountain Biological
Laboratory
Seasonal shifting
Earlier snowmelt in high-altitude
meadows has caused many species to
adjust to earlier springs. For 50 years
researchers at the Rocky Mountain
Biological Laboratory in Gothic,
Colorado, have collected data showing
that plants such as the glacier lily are
flowering sooner, and some of their
pollinators, including hummingbirds
migrating from Mexico, have sped up
their arrival schedules.
2016-2021
May 4 - Approximate snowmelt
(Western spring beauty blooms)
2016-2021
May 5 - Broad-tailed
hummingbirds return
1975-1980
May 17 - Broad-tailed
hummingbirds return
2016-2021
May 21 - Glacier lilies bloom
1975-1980
May 27 - Approximate snowmelt
(Western spring beauty blooms)
1975-1980
June 7 - Glacier lilies bloom
Lucas Petrin,NGM Staff.
Kelsey Nowakowski.
Sources: Brian D. Inouye, Florida State
University; Billy Barr; Rocky Mountain
Biological Laboratory;