Giant ferns and marsh plants are forerunners of other types of vegetation that developed more recently in the earth's history. Climate change is projected to cause major changes in the distribution of plant life. As global temperatures increase and other aspects of climate evolve, researchers expect many plant zones to shift away from the equator and toward the poles. Because plants in turn affect climate, due to their absorption and emission of gases and radiation, changes in plant distribution due to climate change could produce complex feedbacks that shape our atmosphere. Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research study these and other links between biosphere and atmosphere.
