In the heart of North America's most arid and scorching desert, climate change is driving the decline of plant species once believed to be nearly indestructible. In their place, shorter shrubs are emerging, capitalizing on sporadic rainfall and warmer temperatures.  Although this phenomenon has been observed in temperate mountain regions, a new study from the University of California, Riverside (UCR) reveals unexpected patterns of plant redistribution in the Sonoran Desert. Study first author Tesa Madsen-Hepp pointed out that the findings challenge conventional expectations: "The plants are shifting,...