What are some changes that might occur in western vegetation over the 21st century?
* A: Likely vegetation responses to climate change in the West are extremely complex and difficult to forecast. They can best be understood if considered from the perspective of the two fundamental constraints on vegetation distribution: thermal and water constraints. The highest and coldest zones, the Alpine (Tundra) zones will contract significantly and in many areas will be pushed entirely off the tops of the mountains. The Boreal and Temperate Forest zones (primarily conifer dominated) will shift up in elevation helping to squeeze the high elevation Alpine (treeless) and Krummholz transitional (stunted tree) zones into smaller domains. Winter minimum and nighttime temperatures are forecast to increase faster than maximum temperatures through the 21st century. This release of winter constraints is already occurring and has allowed bark beetles to invade higher elevations and latitudes where it was previously excluded by winter cold. Thus, many forests that have historically never ex
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