The study by Kelly and Goulden examines the rapid shifts in plant distribution in Southern California's Santa Rosa Mountains due to recent climate change. Over a 30-year period, from 1977 to 2006-2007, the average elevation of dominant plant species rose by approximately 65 meters. This shift is attributed to changes in regional climate, including increased surface warming, more precipitation variability, and decreased snowfall. The authors compared plant cover surveys conducted in 1977 and 2006-2007 along a 2,314-meter elevation gradient, finding that the distribution of individual species changed significantly, with a uniform shift across elevations. The shifts were not due to changes in air pollution or fire frequency, but rather to the impacts of climate change, such as increased temperature, longer frost-free periods, and more severe droughts. The results suggest that plant distributions can respond rapidly to climate changes, even in areas where dispersal is not a major constraint.The study by Kelly and Goulden examines the rapid shifts in plant distribution in Southern California's Santa Rosa Mountains due to recent climate change. Over a 30-year period, from 1977 to 2006-2007, the average elevation of dominant plant species rose by approximately 65 meters. This shift is attributed to changes in regional climate, including increased surface warming, more precipitation variability, and decreased snowfall. The authors compared plant cover surveys conducted in 1977 and 2006-2007 along a 2,314-meter elevation gradient, finding that the distribution of individual species changed significantly, with a uniform shift across elevations. The shifts were not due to changes in air pollution or fire frequency, but rather to the impacts of climate change, such as increased temperature, longer frost-free periods, and more severe droughts. The results suggest that plant distributions can respond rapidly to climate changes, even in areas where dispersal is not a major constraint.