Watch Earth’s Seasons Change the Face of the Planet in a New Animated Map
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Summary
Researchers from Queensland’s James Cook University and the University of New South Wales, Canberra, have mapped seasonal growth cycles using satellite imagery.
Using 20 years of data, the team created an interactive map showing the timing of growth cycles around the world.
The findings reveal “hotspots” of seasonal asynchrony, where neighbouring locations’ growth cycles significantly differ in timing.
Such variation could dramatically affect ecological and evolutionary processes, including genetic divergence and the formation of new species, which could lead to increased biodiversity in these regions.
The team’s map shows that such hotspots overlap with many of Earth’s biodiversity hotspots.
