Spring Bulbs for Schools Investigation results 2006-2014
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Since October 2005, school scientists across Wales have been
keeping weather records and noting when their flowers open, as part
of a long-term study looking at the effects of temperature on
spring bulbs. The investigation...
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This year, we are continuing to work with the Edina Trust who
are funding the pots and bulbs and extending the range of the
project to England and Scotland! 96 schools took part this
year!
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They posted their results on the web
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The long term study Our climate is changing and so are our
seasons. Over the next 10-20 years (and hopefully more) we want
school scientists to show how climate change is affecting flowering
times in spring bulbs. In the short term there is plenty for
schools to study.
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Huge thanks! Professor Plant would like to thank all of the
school scientists that have sent in records this year! You are all
Super Scientists!
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Schools to be awarded with certificates: All Saints' CE Primary
School Balcurvie Primary School Ballerup Nursery Blenheim Road
Community Primary School Brockholes Wood Community Primary School
Brynhyfryd Junior School Catforth Primary School Chatelherault
Primary School Cleddau Reach VC Primary Cobbs Brow Primary School
Coed-y-Lan Primary School Flakefleet Primary School Glencairn
Primary School Golden Hill School Henllys C/W Primary School
Hillside Specialist School Ladywell Primary School Lakeside Primary
School Lea Community School Manor Road Primary School Manor School
Milford Haven Junior School Newport Primary School Pinfold Primary
School RAF Benson Primary School Rogiet Primary School Rougemont
Junior School Scotforth St Paul's CE Primary School St Bernadette's
Primary School St Gregory's Catholic Primary School St John's CE
Primary School St Nicholas C/W primary School Trellech Primary
School Tynewater Primary School Woodstock CE Primary School Ysgol
Bro Tawe Ysgol Glan Cleddau Ysgol Iau Hen Golwyn Ysgol Nant y Coed
Ysgol Rhys Prichard Ysgol Santes Tudful Ysgol Sychdyn Ysgol Y
Berllan Deg Ysgol Y Faenol Each to receive Super Scientist
certificates and pencils.
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Schools with special recognition: Auchengray Primary School
Britannia Community Primary Cawthorne's Endowed Primary School
Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor Culross Primary School Greyfriars RC Primary
School Holy Trinity CE Primary John Cross CE Primary Llanishen Fach
Primary School Red Marsh School St Anne's Catholic Primary St
Laurence CE Primary Woodplumpton St. Anne's Primary School Ysgol
Gynradd Dolgellau Ysgol Terrig Ysgol Y Plas Each to receive
certificates, pencils & sunflower seeds.
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Highly commended schools: Each to receive certificates,
pencils, sunflower seed & herb seeds. Abergwili VC Primary
School Archbishop Hutton's Primary School Arkholme CE Primary
School Balshaw Lane Community Primary Bleasdale CE Primary School
Burscough Bridge Methodist School Carnforth North Road Primary
School Christchurch CP School Combe Primary School Coppull Parish
Church School Cutteslowe Primary School Darran Park Primary School
Freuchie Primary School Gladestry C. in W. Primary School
Glyncollen Primary School Kilmaron School Raglan VC Primary School
SS Philip and James CE Primary St Athan Primary School St Blanes
Primary School St Ignatius Primary School St Mary's Catholic
Primary School St Mellons Church in Wales Primary St Michael's CE
(Aided) Primary St Nicholas Primary School St Patrick's Primary
School Stanford in the Vale CE Primary Ysgol Bro Eirwg Ysgol
Deganwy
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Runner's up: Wormit Primary School in Scotland Ysgol Gynradd
Cross Hands in Wales The Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School
in England Each to receive certificates, pencils & a gift
voucher to purchase lovely things for your gardening projects
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Winners 2014 Ysgol Clocaenog in Wales Dallas Road Community
Primary School in England Abronhill Primary School in Scotland Each
will receive certificates, pencils and a class trip of fun-packed
activities!
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Summary 2005-2014 Here is a very brief summary of the results
that we have observed since 2005. You can download the results to
study them for yourself at www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs
www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs
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UK & Welsh data Since 2005 Welsh schools have been
collecting data. Since 2011 English and Scottish schools have been
collecting data. As a result, we have produced two sets of data,
one for Wales 2005-2014 and another for the UK which compares
results between different countries.
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UK Results Summary
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Which country was the warmest / coldest?
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Which country had the most / least sunshine?
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Which country had the most / least rain?
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Flowers will open earliest in areas where it is both warm and
sunny. Especially during the month of February.
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As a result the flowers opened earlier in Wales and England
this year.
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Download the results yourself to Visit
www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbswww.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs
Make graphs & frequency charts or calculate the mean. See if
the flowers opened late in schools that recorded cold weather See
how temperature, sunshine and rainfall affect the average flowering
dates. Look for trends between different locations.
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Welsh Results Summary
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Our records show that spring 2014 was mild (not very cold) but
there was a lot of rain.
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The temperature stayed mild (not very cold) all winter.
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Temperatures were quite high in 2014, but not the highest
overall.
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2014 was not very sunny, only 2013 had less sunshine.
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This year it was a lot warmer and a bit sunnier than last year
and the flowers opened two weeks earlier.
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Rainfall in 2014 was higher than in any other year of the
project!
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Welsh results table 2005-2014
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How does the weather effect flowering times in the
daffodil?
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This year daffodil flowering date was around the middle
compared with other years. It was not very early like 2008, or very
late like 2013.
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The trend shows: As temperatures get lower daffodils flower
later but there are some exceptions. Can you spot them?
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What years dont fit the trend? Ans: 2007, 2012 & 2014
Possible explanation: Although the temperature was at its highest
in 2007, 2012 & 2014 the flowers did not open early. This is
likely to be because the hours of sunshine remained low until March
those years.
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The trend shows: As the hours of sunshine decrease daffodils
open later but there are some exceptions. Can you spot them?
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What years dont fit the trend? Ans: 2011 & 2014 In 2011 and
2014 the average daffodil flowering date was the same 12 March, but
2011 had high sunshine and 2014 had low sunshine (both years are
shown by the same line). Possible explanations: Although there was
lots of sunshine in 2011, temperature was very low. Although there
was very little sunshine in 2014, temperature was quite high.
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How does the weather effect flowering times in the crocus?
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Average crocus flowering date this year was the third latest
compared with other years. 2009 and 2013 were later.
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The trend shows: Generally, as temperature gets lower, crocus
flowers open later but there are some exceptions. Can you spot
them? What might be the cause?
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What years dont fit the trend? Ans: 2012 & 2014 Possible
explanation: Although the temperature in 2012 & 2014 was very
warm the flowers didnt open until March. This is likely to be
because the hours of sunshine were in the low 60s until March.
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The trend shows: Generally, when there is less sunshine the
crocus flowers open later but there are some exceptions. Can you
spot them?
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What years dont fit the trend? Ans: 2009 & 2011 Possible
explanation: There was lots of sunshine in 2009 and 2011 but
temperatures were fairly low in 2009 and very low in 2011.
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Finding a trend is quite difficult but some things are clear
The bulbs rely on both sunshine and warmth in order to flower. Our
seasons are becoming more unpredictable as our world is getting
warmer.
Slide 42
Download the results yourself to Visit
www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbswww.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs
Make graphs & frequency charts or calculate the mean. See if
the flowers opened late in schools that recorded cold weather See
how temperature, sunshine and rainfall affect the average flowering
dates. Look for trends between different locations.