A new survey, Season Creep: How Global Warming Is Already Affecting the World Around Us, finds that scientists who study the timing of recurring natural phenomena—a field known as phenology—are increasingly pointing their fingers at global warming as the reason for disturbing changes in wildlife, plants and the natural environment. And Michigan is affected.

Researchers are consistently observing earlier leaf and flower budding, insect hatchings, return of birds and other events. This is important because even seemingly minor changes in natural cycles can disrupt species throughout a delicately balanced ecosystem. In Michigan, some of the affected species include lilac, honeysuckle, northern cardinal, robin and Canadian goose. The full Season Creep survey is available at www.cleartheair.org.

Additional evidence shows that our region is getting warmer. A Michigan State University analysis of Grand Traverse Bay's freezing patterns has shown a precipitous decline in ice cover in recent years. For 130 years, the bay froze over in 85% of winters, but froze only three winters from 1991 to 2000, and only once since 2001. This is associated with earlier mild temperatures, which are not favorable to Michigan's cherry crop, among other things.