Researchers found that rising temperatures in western Greenland have disrupted spring plant growth enough to cause a fall in the number of caribou born. The finding has alarmed some scientists, the report said, who expected that migrating animals would find it easier to adapt to the shifting seasons.
In fact, the scientists found that increasing spring temperatures not only caused plants to emerge sooner, but also reduced the range of land they grew over. Both effects are expected to cause a fall in caribou populations because females produce fewer calves if less food is available.
See full story