October 12th, 2011
For a long time, ecologists have believed—and others accepted—that when it comes to whether a land mass is covered with forests or grasslands, climate controls the show. They thought that the amount of rain, temperature and frequency of wildfires determine whether the ground will be covered with trees or grasses. Maybe not, say two scientists.




Barbara Kessler
Andrew Winston
Danielle Nierenberg
Anthony Swift