The mountains of western North America are warming rapidly,leading to more rapid death of whitebark pines in this alpine ecosystem.The mountain pine bark beetle,which once lived at lower elevations,has invaded the warming alpine ecosystem and now attacks and destroys whitebark pines.How are these responses to global warming likely to affect alpine ecosystems?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The invasion of mountain pine bark beetles will likely worsen the death of whitebark pines, leading to a dramatic decline in pine populations, potentially causing significant disruptions in the alpine ecosystem. Both the pines and beetles may adapt to the changing climate to some extent, but the destruction caused by the beetles will likely outweigh any adaptive benefits. Additionally, option E is incorrect as there is already evidence of the impact of global warming on the alpine ecosystem, and there is a basis for predicting the likely changes in tree and beetle populations based on that evidence.

The Mountains of Western North America Are Warming Rapidly,leading to More