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No More Pancake Syrup? Climate Change Could Bring an End To Sugar Maples (sciencemag.org)

Posted by msmash on from the closer-look dept.

An anonymous reader shares a research report: Savor that sticky, slightly nutty sweetness drenching your Sunday morning pancakes now. The trees that make maple syrup will struggle to survive climate change, a new study reveals. Researchers had thought that pollution from cars, factories, and agriculture might buffer sugar maples against an increasingly warm and dry climate by supplying soils with fertilizing nitrogen. But the new analysis, which examined 20 years of tree and soil data in four Michigan locations, finds that extra boost of nitrogen won't be enough. Instead, the researchers report today in Ecology, a lack of water will stunt the trees' growth.

4 of 363 comments (clear)

  1. No, I counter--predict... by stilrz · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I make maple syrup on a *very* small scale in a major city. This "scientific" article is all bunk. 1) First, large scale maple producers already know that watering the trees while tapping helps production. If global warming from politicians hot air continues towards long term winter droughts,, Maple bushes can be irrigated. 2) There are over 3000 variety of maples right now and the sugar industry is growing out hybrids that can produce close to a 10% sugar content sap ( normal is 2%) Nature will provide drought tolerant if needed. 3) no-one uses pails. Maple syrup production is hi-tech: reverse osmosis is amazing 4) North America has an over-abundance of maple trees and syrup production 5) What is not mentioned that is serious potential for maple blight like oak wilt to destroy a lot trees 6) Canada 's political socialized maple syrup production does more harm to producers that climate change ever will Sure I only make about 7 gallons a year but I know more than these blowhards

    1. Re:No, I counter--predict... by Strider- · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Also, the Canadian government's Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve(tm) (it's a real thing!) is intended to cover for exactly the type of (very temporary) shortage this would involve.

      I hate to break it to you, but while the maple reserve does exist, it's not associated with the Canadian federal government, nor even the Quebec government. Instead, It's maintained by a federation of Quebec producers, and basically allows them to act as a Cartel when it comes to Maple Syrup.

      --
      ...si hoc legere nimium eruditionis habes...
  2. Um by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The excerpt is somewhat less than explanatory.

    Michigan is literally surrounded by fresh water and that doesn't seem to be changing. If " that extra boost of nitrogen won't be enough" because water, then why do you think the trees won't have enough water?

    Maybe there's a reason, but the excerpt provided does not give it or even hint at it. (And I won't break tradition by actually reading TFA.)

  3. Re: Well, no more Maple Syrup by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well you missed the whole point...

    The real problem, is that, ideally, you need temperature deltas around the freezing point to get the sugar out in the water that you collect through the taps. Ideally something like -6deg.C to +6deg.C everyday. Flowing days if you will... Not too much wind either.

    The weather is all crazy and stuff nowadays. So you can get a terrible season with only a few good flowing days. That is the problem.

    Add to that that:
    1- sugar and water won't flow at all if it is too cold (duh!!!!)
    2- the taps you drilled in the tree will start plugging-up after a while (normal response to the "agression" that the drilling is), like in about 30 days
    3- sap will start to flow and ruin the taste if spring comes in early (contrary to popular belief, what is boiled into syrup is not regular sap, as it is otherwise unpalatable when the burgeoning process kicks-in too early, we call it "eau de bourgeon", literally burgeoning water)

    So you are bound to only hope for a few pumping days in the season. Anything between mid-January to mid-April can now be considered "fair game"... Sugar producing is not for the faint of heart...

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