An eclipse has a profound effect on the natural world.
The upcoming April 8 eclipse will last mere minutes, but that's still plenty of time for plants and animals to react to the phenomena.
Solar eclipses can have subtle but noticeable effects on the plant and animal world, primarily due to changes in light intensity and temperature during the eclipse event. Temperatures could drop up to 10 degrees in minutes in dry climates.
Here are some ways plants and animals respond to a solar eclipse:
Photoperiod-sensitive plants (see explanation below): Some plants use changes in light as cues for important life cycle events such as flowering or fruiting. A sudden decrease in light intensity during a solar eclipse may temporarily disrupt these cues, potentially delaying or altering the timing of these events.
Photoperiodism refers to three groups of plants:
Photosynthesis: The sudden decrease in solar radiation during an eclipse can temporarily reduce the rate of photosynthesis in plants.
And some plants close up during totality, and others follow the sun as the moon moves over it.
Nocturnal animals that are typically active during the night may become temporarily confused by the sudden darkness during a solar eclipse. Some nocturnal animals may emerge from their daytime hiding places or become more active during the eclipse, while diurnal (active during the day) animals may exhibit behaviors associated with dusk or nighttime.
Birds - about 20 minutes before totality birds will start to flock and become quieter, while others may return to their roosts as if it were evening. They think its time for bed. Breeding birds quiet down (likely a defense to avoid detection from predators during dark periods).
Solar eclipses can have subtle but noticeable effects on the plant and animal world, primarily due to changes in light intensity and temperature during the eclipse event. Temperatures could drop up to 10 degrees in minutes in dry climates.
Here are some ways plants and animals respond to a solar eclipse:
Photoperiod-sensitive plants (see explanation below): Some plants use changes in light as cues for important life cycle events such as flowering or fruiting. A sudden decrease in light intensity during a solar eclipse may temporarily disrupt these cues, potentially delaying or altering the timing of these events.
Photoperiodism refers to three groups of plants:
- Short-day plants (flower only when day length drops below a certain threshold such as rice.
- Long-day plants (flower only when day length rises above a certain threshold such as spinach and beets).
- Day-neutral plants (do not initiate flowering based on photoperiodism, instead flowering after a specific development stage such as a period of low temperatures or high temperatures such as cucumbers, roses, tomatoes, and cannabis).
Photosynthesis: The sudden decrease in solar radiation during an eclipse can temporarily reduce the rate of photosynthesis in plants.
And some plants close up during totality, and others follow the sun as the moon moves over it.
Nocturnal animals that are typically active during the night may become temporarily confused by the sudden darkness during a solar eclipse. Some nocturnal animals may emerge from their daytime hiding places or become more active during the eclipse, while diurnal (active during the day) animals may exhibit behaviors associated with dusk or nighttime.
Birds - about 20 minutes before totality birds will start to flock and become quieter, while others may return to their roosts as if it were evening. They think its time for bed. Breeding birds quiet down (likely a defense to avoid detection from predators during dark periods).
The solar eclipse is on April 8, beginning at 11:27am and completing at 1:54pm in the Denver area. At 12:40pm we will see approximately 66% totality.
Insects, particularly those that rely on visual cues for navigation or foraging, may exhibit changes in behavior during a solar eclipse. Some insects may become disoriented by the sudden darkness and may temporarily cease their activities until light levels return to normal.
Crickets will begin to chirp as the light dissipates, and there is evidence that spiders begin to engage in web maintenance (a typical nighttime behavior for them).
Bees stop buzzing during totality and return to their hives. Previous research showed that when the sunlight returned, the bees seemed disoriented.
Aquatic invertebrates may also be affected by changes in light intensity during a solar eclipse. For example, zooplankton may move closer to the surface of the water in response to decreased light levels or alter their feeding habits.
The effects of a solar eclipse on plants and animals are temporary. Once the eclipse has passed and light levels return to normal, most plants and animals quickly resume their normal behaviors and activities.