Natural History Wanderings

The LA Times reported

Climate change is taking an enormous toll, and the current drought has hastened the decline of a species that is regarded as the symbol of California deserts.

“For Joshua trees, hotter, drier conditions are a problem — but a bigger problem is that what little rainfall occurs evaporates faster,” Cameron Barrows (UC Ecologist) said. “So, seedlings shrivel up and die before they can put down strong roots.”

Read full story at  Drought hastens decline of the Joshua tree, California’s desert symbol – LA Times.