Arid Lands
Bufflegrass in Saguaro National Park. Photo by NPS.
Climate change threatens some of the most treasured natural and historic places in our nation. An example in the Arid Lands bioregion that park mangers are concerned about is the current increase of invasive Buffelgrass in Saguaro National Park. Buffelgrass spreads quickly and competes with native plants for resources, threatening the iconic saguaro cactus. But more detrimental to the saguaro and Sonoran Desert ecosystem is fire; many of the Sonoran Desert species did not evolve with fire and will die as a result of burning. Buffelgrass fuels hotter, more intense and more frequent fires than historically have occurred.
Related Links
Suggested links to learn more about climate change in this region:
- Chihuahuan Desert Network Climate Change Resource Brief
- Sonoran Desert Network Climate Change Resource Brief
- Southern Colorado Plateau Network Climate Change Resource Brief
- Northern Colorado Plateau Network Climate Change Resource Brief
- Greater Yellowstone Network Climate Change Resource Brief
- Mojave Desert Network Climate Change Resource Brief
- Sierra Nevada Network Climate Change Resource Brief
- Upper Columbian Basin Network Climate Change Resource Brief
- Talking Points: Impacts to Arid Lands
- Great Basin National Park Climate Change Information
- Zion National Park Climate-Friendly Park Information
- Nevada Desert Research Center
- USGS Mojave Desert Region
- NOAA Arid Region Report
Last updated: April 22, 2010
