CLIMATE CHANGE CLOSING THE GENDER GAP FOR VALERIAN PLANTS

Valerian plants are likely to grow in hot and cold mountain slopes depending on their sex. The growth of male’s valerian plants depends on heat and resultantly, global warming boosting their growth in the mountains of Colorado’s Rocky. The ratio of male to female plants changes with elevation because of males and females like dry and warm as well as cold and wet conditions, respectively. The female’s plants may probably account 80% in few upland sites, but the weather is becoming warmer on up slopes of the mountain due to climate change. Subsequently, more male’s plants are growing compared to females that is an indication of climate change

According to research conducted in the Rocky Mountains forty years ago, the number of males was one third compared to females which is on the increase with the passage of time. This shows that the warmer climate is lessening the females upside the mountains. The rate of change in male to female plants share has been changing equivalent to the magnitude of climate change since the late 1970s. The upslope area is going to dry due to the melting of snow and summers are becoming warmer. Resultantly, rainfalls and moisture of soil have been moving on the upside of the slope by 133m and 195m in every decade, respectively. Subsequently, the sex ratios of valerian plants and climate have become interlinked. Hence, the researchers can use this trend as a fingerprint to predict future scenario of the species’ population.Moreover, in 2011, the researchers observed a drastic increase in the share of males to females compared to the period of 1978-1980. This may eliminate flowers by destructing female’s plants in lower altitude. In short, the scientists have the opinion that migration due to climate change may set the geographical limits for only one sex of the plants.