Drought-induced ponderosa pine mortality at Tejon Ranch, CA

Forest response to global change-type drought is visibly evident at Tejon Ranch in the Tehachapi Mountains of California, near the southern range limit of ponderosa pine (/Pinus ponderosa/). The current three-year drought has coincided with greater than 50% adult mortality in the local ponderosa pine population.
 
Photo credits: 

• left: Phoebe Prather (Tejon Ranch Conservancy)
• right:  Ian McCullough, UCSB Bren School.