Yosemite National Park located in California is home to many plants and animals. Due to climate changes, their giant trees are declining. The result of the declining number in trees came from data that was collected by ecologists suggesting that the density of the trees have fallen 24% in the last 70 years. The giant trees play an important role in the ecosystem of the park because their canopies provide shade and protection for the animals that live around the trees. The canopy is also home to many insects, birds, squirrels and other animals. These old, large trees are able to withstand fires and storms so without the trees, the ecosystem may be in trouble. What is worrisome is that Yosemite is a protected park and the fact that the trees here are declining makes people wonder what are happening to other trees that are not protected and monitored? They say one worrying aspect of the decline is that it is happening within one of most protected forests within the US, suggesting that even more large trees may be dying off elsewhere (Walker 2009). Scientists are unsure of what is causing these trees to disappear but it seems to be caused by climate change. Warmer temperatures are causing the trees to dry. The lack of forest fire is causing smaller trees and shrubs to grow which is competition for water.
Citation Information
Walker, Michael. 2009 “Yosemite’s Giant Trees Disappear” BBC News [Internet] 2009 May 22 [cited 2009 May 26] Available from http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8063000/8063392.stm
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