Will it affect your plants? [Video]

SAN DIEGO (KSWB/KUSI) – Researchers in the past have observed how animals react to a total solar eclipse, but does it affect plants?

With the next solar eclipse set to take place on April 8, horticulturists and plant enthusiasts alike can expect some changes in their plants’ behavior. The amount of change, though, will depend on its location in relation to the eclipse’s path of totality.

According to NASA, many plant species may react to the changing light levels during a total solar eclipse. This is due to the fact that plants transform sunlight into chemical energy in a process called photosynthesis.

However, during a solar eclipse – when the moon passes in between the sun and Earth – the sky will become dark as if it were dawn or dusk, leaving plants with little to no sunlight, depending on where they are in the path of totality. NASA also says there may be changes in sap flow …