What Happens When Spring Begins?

New life is often associated with the spring season, rising from the coldness and stillness of winter. There are many different patterns and observations that come the beginning of spring. While variables such as plant and animal species may change depending on the ecology of the ecosystems where you live, many commonalities can be found across the globe when spring begins.

As Earth travels around the sun, the angle at which Earth is tilted around its axis causes the North and South Poles to shift toward or farther away from the sun, causing the seasonal changes. As the North Pole begins to shift closer towards the sun, temperatures warm up and days grow longer, causing the shift of the seasons from winter to spring.

Spring ephemerals are plants and flowers with a short lifespan that often germinate, grow, bloom and reproduce during the early onset of spring. Spring ephemerals are one of the first signs of spring and often go through their life cycle before the first trees begin to bud and unfurl their leaves. Examples include bloodroot, trout lily and trilliums.

Some animal species, such as birds, begin their migration patterns in the spring while other animals rouse themselves from hibernation or torpor. Bird migrations often involve thousands of miles flown by each bird as they return to their breeding grounds for the spring and summer seasons.