Desert ecosystems are some of the most richly diverse in the world and yet they are one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. Deserts, which account for one-third of the earth’s land mass, ...

The animals are also vulnerable to a range of deadly diseases such as upper respiratory illnesses and the shell disease cutaneous dyskeratosis, which softens their shells. Finally, as climate change ...

Some of the Southwest’s most iconic desert trees are running for their lives in what could be a grim harbinger for more temperate ecosystems across the West. A study in Functional Ecology offers ...

Editor’s Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative has ...

Gambel's Quail makes its home in high, dry parts of the Mojave Desert. But like many bird species, it's struggling against the effects of climate change. Chelsea Hofmeier Birds in southern ...

Ecosystems around the world are undergoing dramatic changes. Some of these changes are familiar stories. The collapse of fisheries, algal blooms in lakes and the loss of coral reefs are well-known ...

Once thought resistant to invasion, California's deserts are losing native plants to aggressive weedy species like Saharan mustard. New research shows its spread is disrupting biodiversity and ...

From a biological perspective, it is important for scientists and the general public to understand that organisms do interact with their environment; in this sense, it often incorporates the terms ...

(CNN) — Inside a Mojave aster flower, a tiny bee is fast asleep. At night, the pale lavender petals close, providing a safe resting place. In the morning, as birdsong rings out across the desert, the ...