title: Comment on "Changes in climatic water balance drive downhill shifts in plant species' optimum elevations".
abstract: Crimmins et al. (Reports, 21 January 2011, p. 324) attributed an apparent downward elevational shift of California plant species to a precipitation-induced decline in climatic water deficit. We show that the authors miscalculated deficit, that the apparent decline in species' elevations is likely a consequence of geographic biases, and that unlike temperature changes, precipitation changes should not be expected to cause coordinated directional shifts in species' elevations.
authors: US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Three Rivers, CA 93271, USA. nstephenson@usgs.gov
authors: Nathan L
authors: NL
authors: Stephenson
authors: Adrian J
authors: AJ
authors: Das
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D057231:Climate Change; D017753:Ecosystem; D010944:Plants; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water