Monday, 7 September 2015

Climate change could leave Pacific Northwest amphibians high and dry


Date: September 4, 2015

Source: University of Washington

Summary: A new model for snow-fed mountain wetlands projects that this year's dry conditions could be common by the 2070s, affecting the Cascades frog and other mountain species.

Far above the wildfires raging in Washington's forests, a less noticeable consequence of this dry year is taking place in mountain ponds. The minimal snowpack and long summer drought that have left the Pacific Northwest lowlands parched also affect the region's amphibians due to loss of mountain pond habitat.

According to a new paper published Sept. 2 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, this summer's severe conditions may be the new normal within just a few decades.

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