Research suggests climate change likely to cause significant shift in Grand Canyon vegetation
Tuesday, April 25, 2017 - 08:32
in Earth & Climate
Decreases in river flows and frequency of flooding with future climate warming will likely shift vegetation along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon to species with more drought-tolerant traits, according to papers recently published in Ecology and Evolution and Wetlands. What this means for Colorado River recreationists is that plants with traits that confer drought tolerance —mesquite, tamarisk and desert grasses—may replace water-loving plants such as native willows, rushes and cattails.