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Science 12 Mar 2026
Vol 391, Issue 6790 pp. 1172-1176
Editor’s summary
Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently due to climate change, stressing many species. Plants are particularly vulnerable given their sensitivity to changes in moisture and temperature. Anstett et al. examined 19 populations of scarlet monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis) along the west coast of the United States and Mexico over 8 years, including during the most extreme drought on record in this region (see the Perspective by Urban and Balstad). Although several of their monitored populations went extinct locally, the authors found that variants associated with climate shifted frequency in some populations, and populations with more substantial shifts toward alleles favored in hot, dry conditions recovered more quickly. These results suggest that although evolutionary rescue in response to climate stressors is possible, it is not guaranteed. —Corinne Simonti
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adu0995
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