Experts say the unusual weather has triggered a 'false autumn' as trees struggle to cope with drought.
Auburn leaves and early leaf fall are both signs that trees are stressed and "shutting up shop", says Leigh Hunt, senior horticultural advisor at the Royal Horticultural Society.
He says in all his 45 years, this is one of the most severe years he's seen in terms of damage to trees in the countryside. In conditions like those seen recently, trees may react by producing more seeds - for instance, acorns - in an attempt to reproduce and survive into the future.The drought has caused hard, compacted soil, which can affect germination
It says fruits and nuts are ripening faster than ever, which "can spell disaster for wildlife" that feed on them. "Elder and holly have been recorded as fruiting earlier too. Both extreme temperatures and a lack of water can cause trees to drop their leaves earlier than we'd expect."It's hard to predict the long-term consequences of drought, but ecology experts think weeks of parched grasslands and rock-hard soil in much of southern England will be having a big impact on wildlife.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
UK drought: Why we need to get used to wonky vegetablesThe hotter, drier conditions mean in future our produce is likely to be smaller and odd-looking,
Read more »
UK drought: Why we need to get used to wonky vegetablesOur produce is likely to be smaller, odd-looking, or even leathery after the hot, dry weather.
Read more »
Spider-Man PC’s first patch fixes ray-tracing crashes and stability issues | VGCThe PC version of Spider-Man Remastered has received its first patch, fixing ray-tracing crashes and other issues.
Read more »
Amol Rajan is new host of University Challenge after Jeremy Paxman's exitBREAKING: Amol Rajan announced as new host of University Challenge after Jeremy Paxman’s exit.
Read more »
Covid booster rollout to start in England this September - who’s eligible?The Covid Autumn booster will be available for 5 September
Read more »
Lando Norris no longer allows doing a ‘sh*t job’ to play on his mindLando Norris explained that he has moved on from the times when he would get caught up in thought after doing a 'sh*t job'.
Read more »