The life cycle of a plant—for example, how fast it grows, how long it lives, when it reproduces, how many seeds it produces—is intertwined with itslocal climate.

And even small shifts in temperature and rainfall can delay or shift key life stages.

For example, reduced rainfall in southwestern Australia has been linked to reduced seed production and survival in the shrub Hooker’s banksia (Banksia hookeriana).

In the fire-prone ecosystems of southeastern Australia, fire can kill plants but also often plays a critical role in their regeneration.