Old Sol is the Reason for the Season

The months of Spring set the stage for the most active season of the year – Summer. Both plants and animals take advantage of the warming temperature and more gentle conditions of Spring making it the most suitable time to prepare for the propagation of species.

It’s no coincidence that biodiversity is highest in tropical regions where climate is generally stable because the Sun’s rays fall more evenly year round. Such conditions offer increased chance of species survival which fosters evolutionary adaptations and genetic diversity. So, too, do the more mellow conditions of the Northeast Summer support the continuation of species that make their homes in this region.

Summer is the time of year when primary production, the bedrock of the food web, is at its height. The Sun is at its utmost zenith in the sky, which promotes increased food production in green plants, allowing for their growth and eventual formation of seed. The Sun’s position also brings warmer temperatures creating conditions where the insect world can escape from frozen conditions. Many insect species begin their lives in water or soil so can only reproduce when these elements are free of ice. Insects are second only to plants as a food source for a large percentage of animals and they even offer nutrition to some plants.

Since food and water are the essentials of life, it is when these basics are most available that activity among plants and animals are at their peak. Hence, the creatures brought forth in Spring and early Summer have a better chance at growth and survival while production in both the plant and insect world are at their apex.

Such are the cycles in the more extreme latitudes of planet Earth demonstrating that the Sun is key to all life. It is essential and vital in creating the conditions that foster the presence of oxygen, water, air and ocean currents, food and numerous other elements that make Earth the most beautiful and diverse planet in our Solar System. All hail the Summer Sun!