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Giant old saguaros can be resilient. It's baby saguaros researchers are worried about
https://www.npr.org/2024/08/14/nx-s1-5018064/saguaro-dying-phoenix-arizona-sonoran-desertGiant old saguaros can be resilient. It's baby saguaros researchers are worried about
AUGUST 14, 2024 5:00 AM ET
Alina Hartounian
Amid the utter turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic and a record-hot summer, the area's mighty saguaros were toppling at a rate that alarmed casual observers. In recent years, photos and videos of ancient giants crumbling have permeated local media and social platforms.
But experts say it's not those regal old cacti people should be so worried about — rather, it's the young ones that aren't germinating. Human-caused climate change driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels is robbing the Sonoran Desert of the conditions needed to help baby saguaro take root and thrive. So, as the desert grows warmer and drier, scientists are turning to that same saguaro-loving community for help establishing future generations of the cacti.
[...]
A recent study published in the Annals of Botany examined saguaros in Mexico and concluded that increased drought from climate change poses a threat to the cactus, especially its ability to reproduce.
A 2018 paper from the National Park Service notes that seedlings are very vulnerable to the changing climate, as they rely on moist soil to survive during their first few years.
[...]
AUGUST 14, 2024 5:00 AM ET
Alina Hartounian
Amid the utter turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic and a record-hot summer, the area's mighty saguaros were toppling at a rate that alarmed casual observers. In recent years, photos and videos of ancient giants crumbling have permeated local media and social platforms.
But experts say it's not those regal old cacti people should be so worried about — rather, it's the young ones that aren't germinating. Human-caused climate change driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels is robbing the Sonoran Desert of the conditions needed to help baby saguaro take root and thrive. So, as the desert grows warmer and drier, scientists are turning to that same saguaro-loving community for help establishing future generations of the cacti.
[...]
A recent study published in the Annals of Botany examined saguaros in Mexico and concluded that increased drought from climate change poses a threat to the cactus, especially its ability to reproduce.
A 2018 paper from the National Park Service notes that seedlings are very vulnerable to the changing climate, as they rely on moist soil to survive during their first few years.
[...]