WASHINGTON - Global warming affects the biological rhythms of plants and animal plankton, according to three studies described in Science magazine published Friday.

British researchers analyzed data collected over 47 years on 385 plant varieties in Great Britain, which shows that on average, the plants bloomed nearly five days earlier during the 1990s than they had during the previous four decades.

The plants varied in their sensitivity to environmental warming. Some bloomed as much as two weeks earlier, which could upset the ecological balance with other species, according to the authors.

A team of French and British researchers used data going back to 1946 to establish that that animal plankton in the North Atlantic is affected by global warming.

Another study shows that the growing season in northern hemisphere forests has grown longer over a 20-year study -- again, because the climate is warmer. German, French, Swedish and US researchers used data collected over two decades to create a computer simulation showing that the longer growing season corresponds to global warming.

Copyright 2002 Weatheronline - AFP

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