Maine’s blueberry crop faces climate change peril
The warming of the blueberry fields could imperil the berries and the farmers who tend to them because the rising temperatures have brought loss of water, according to a group of scientists who are affiliated with the University of Maine. The scientists analyzed 40 years of data and found that the state experienced a 1.98 degrees Fahrenheit increase in average temperature, but the blueberry fields of Down East Maine experienced an increase of 2.34 degrees Fahrenheit. That seemingly small difference is significant because rising temperatures could lead to water deficits that put the blueberries at risk, said Rafa Tasnim, a doctoral candidate in ecology and environmental science at UMaine and the study’s lead author.