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BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — A recent study has found Colorado’s subalpine trees are dying from extreme heat and dry conditions.

Research from University of Colorado, Boulder, found Colorado’s subalpine tree deaths have tripled since the 1980s. The concern surrounds the fact that subalpine forests take up over 10,000 square miles of the state.

“It was really surprising to see how strong the relationship is between climate and tree mortality, to see that there was a very obvious effect of recent warmer and drier conditions on our subalpine forests,” said Robert Andrus, lead author of the study and postdoctoral researcher at Washington State University. “The rate of increasing mortality is alarming.” 

According to 37 years of research, heat and drought are responsible for 70% of tree deaths, where as beetle kill is only responsible for 23% of tree deaths. However, the amount of trees dying isn’t immediately obvious to the observer. These slow changes in temperature are killing bigger trees and making it difficult for saplings to grow.

Researchers predict the subalpine tree deaths will only increase as temperatures continue to rise.