Joshua trees face climate threat despite heat adaptation, study finds

Joshua trees face climate threat despite heat adaptation, study finds

Though it may seem counterintuitive, desert-dwelling plants and animals who are well-adapted to hot, dry conditions are still threatened by rising temperatures, drought, and other extremes caused by climate change. For some species, like long-lived Joshua trees, a team of researchers including UConn Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Assistant Professor Karolina Heyduk are working to understand how much these plants can respond to cl…