Oct 27, 2008 9:41 pm US/Eastern
Global Warming Changing Thoreau's Walden Pond
CONCORD, Mass. (AP) ―
Naturalist Henry David Thoreau might well be surprised that while much of the land around
Walden Pond remains undeveloped, many of the plants he knew so well are gone, probably a result of climate change.
Some 27 percent of the species documented by Thoreau in the mid-1800s have disappeared, researchers report in Tuesday's edition of
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
And as many as 36 percent exist there in such small numbers that their disappearance may be imminent, report researchers led by Charles C. Davis of Harvard University.
Warming temperatures have led to changes in the timing of seasonal activities in some plant species, but not others, the team reports. The mean temperature in the area has risen 4.3 degrees Fahrenheit (2.4 Celsius) over the past century.
They found that plants that move to an earlier flowering time in warmer weather do well.
But species that did not respond to temperature changes have decreased greatly, including anemones, buttercups, asters, campanulas, bluets, bladderworts, dogwoods, lilies, mints, orchids, roses, saxifrages and violets.
"That's sad news for all of us," said Mike Frederick, Executive Director of the Thoreau Society in Concord.
He tells WBZ TV plants aren't the only sign of climate change at the pond. "We've noticed for the last two winters where Walden typically freezes over, it hasn't been frozen consistently."
The Strigler family of Wayland comes to the pond often. As they shared a picnic dinner, daughter Sarah said she's not surprised by the report. "It's not shocking when you don't take care of your world."
Her father, Charlie, said he thought Thoreau would be saddened by the news. "I think he'd be disappointed that we had this beautiful spot and let it go to waste."
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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