Key Largo tree cactus, a rare Florida Keys species, becomes first US extinction due to rising sea levels.
The Key Largo tree cactus, a rare tropical species native to Florida Keys, has become the first US species to go extinct due to rising sea levels. Researchers found that a massive stand of the cacti was destroyed by increased ocean water inundating the mangrove that housed them, causing saltwater intrusion, soil depletion, and intensified hurricanes. The loss of the Key Largo tree cactus could signal a similar fate for other plants in the future.
July 15, 2024
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