Summit Voice: A warming climate in the West may slow or, or even stop, conifer forest regeneration in drier, low-elevation areas after big forest fires. In some cases, they may never grow back, instead converting to shrub and grasslands, according a new Oregon State University study.
The researchers concluded that moisture stress is a key limitation for conifer regeneration following stand-replacing wildfire. Both wildfires and more dryness are projected for big parts of the West by most climate models. This...