In early springtime in the Mojave Desert, Joshua trees provide one of the few foods available to many of the wildlife species in this part of the southwestern U.S. Stretching above the surrounding dry vegetation and desert soil, the tall yuccas blossom with clusters of large white flowers that beckon insects, birds, deer, cattle, ground squirrels and pack rats. “All of them are coming and feeding there because it’s a resource that exists in a pretty bleak environment,” said Chris Smith, a plant ecologist at Willamette University who studies Joshua tree survival and genetics. The trees also provide nesting locations for birds and habitat for the California night lizard (Xantusia vigilis). But these days, it’s the Joshua trees that need refuge. As human-caused climate change makes the deserts of the United States increasingly inhospitable and development projects threaten habitat, even desert-adapted plants such as the Joshua tree face an uncertain future. Although adult trees appear stable for now, young trees are struggling to survive. California is trying to protect one of its Joshua tree species through legislation, but without climate action, scientists and policy experts alike warn that the state may not be able to save the beleaguered plants. Joshua trees are desert succulents with crowns of spiky green leaves that grow in the Mojave, Great Basin and Sonoran deserts of the western U.S. Joshua trees can reach more than 12 meters (40 feet) tall and can live for several hundred years. There are two species: the western Joshua tree…This article was originally published on Mongabay