A woodrat in Utah’s Great Basin is surrounded by toxic juniper leaves, which is much of its diet. Credit: Denise Dearing, University of Utah

As the U.S. Southwest grew warmer between 18,700 and 10,000 years ago, juniper trees vanished from what is now the Mojave Desert, robbing woodrats of their favorite food.

Now biologists have narrowed the hunt for detoxification genes that let the rodents eat the toxic creosote bushes that replaced junipers.

It’s an interesting story from the National Science Foundation, with a bit of ominous speculation about the phytochemical ramifications of climate change. Go read.

1. 
   arvind 2009 04 08 at 3:15:20 pm

   Wow. That sounds like a really interesting story on ZOMG THE RAT IS SO CUTE!!!111!!