Bummer: Trees allegedly growing too fast

Old Trees May Soon Meet Their Match - NYTimes.com

The bristlecones face even more fundamental changes. Warmer temperatures are significantly altering ecosystems, according to Matthew Salzer, a researcher at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona who studies bristlecone tree rings. Over the last 50 years, bristlecone rings have increased in size, growing 30 percent faster than in any other 50-year period for 3,700 years. “They’ve really taken off,” Dr. Salzer said. “The growth rate is really high, and it’s related to the warming occurring at higher elevations.”

“I think they risk burning themselves out,” he said. “One of the reasons these trees have such longevity is they have a conservative approach. If they are no longer under such harsh conditions it’s possible their life spans will decrease.”