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Now these same Dandelions are giving us the opportunity to watch them and see when they bloom every year so we can tell how changes in the environment are making them bloom at different times. Dandelions are sensitive little weather instruments that take the amount of rainfall- also called precipitation- sunshine, the temperature and humidity-how much moisture is in the air- into account when they grow.

All of these things also affect when a Dandelion will produce its bud and when it will blossom into a flower. If a winter has been long and cold, and the spring has been cloudy then a flower will bloom later. If the spring is early, sunny, warm, and with enough rain then the Dandelion will bloom earlier.

Looking at the same plant or patch of Dandelions every year, then recording the date that they flower will help us to see how the climate is changing. The weather is what we get everyday, the weather over a long period of time is called the climate. The climate is changing and when you watch Dandelions year after year you can help the scientists at Environment Canada understand and track these changes. You can also help the scientists and educators at the Ontario Science Centre explain these changes to people across Ontario. You will also help the people of Ontario to understand how a changing climate will affect their backyards, schoolyards, and the places they visit and see every day.