Interior Alaskas hot and dry summer of 2013, coupled with an invasion of insect pests, has taken a steep toll on the regions birch trees, experts say.
Elodea, a fast-growing leafy plant, is now in a roadside ditch at the marsh, and a response plan is in the works.
The 2007 fire was probably the first for that area in 6,500 years, according to scientific evidence examined later, Higuera said. But the wait for the next big burn won't be nearly as long, according to the evidence gathered in the study.
Environmental and economic changes could make it easier for non-native plants and animals to gain a foothold in the North.
A new report identifies climate change as one of the challenges facing transportation in Alaska's most famous national park.
Elodea, an aggressive invasive plant, was discovered this month in the lake used by hundreds of floatplanes, raising fears that it will be spread to multiple sites within flying reach.
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