Warming In Yosemite National Park Sends Small Mammals Packing To Higher, Cooler Elevations
Saturday, October 18, 2008 - 19:28
in Earth & Climate
UC Berkeley's resurvey of animal populations in California's eastern mountains kicked off in 2003 with a resurvey of Yosemite National Park, following the route of Joseph Grinnell in 1914-20. The first results show that small mammals have moved to higher elevations as a result of warming, some expanding their range upward, others moving upward and abandoning lower elevations entirely. Though biodiversity remains unchanged, the rapid rate of change sounds a cautionary note about global warming.