Ponderosa forests struggle in the face of Southwest megadrought
Thursday, June 8, 2023 - 11:33
in Earth & Climate
Ponderosa pine trees are one of the most ubiquitous conifer species in western North America, extending from southern British Columbia all the way down to northern Mexico. In the American Southwest, winter snowmelt and summer rains play a critical role in these forests' survival, but the 23-year megadrought may have these semi-arid trees at the end of their rope, according to new research by University of Arizona scientists.