Editing Dall sheep (section)

===Climate change===
Changes in ''O. dalli'' abundance, distribution, composition and health may indicate changes happening with other species and ecosystem processes. The sheep live in [[alpine tundra|alpine]], or high mountain, areas. These areas are expected to experience significant changes associated with [[climate change]]. Changes may include shifts in locations of plant communities (e.g., an increase in shrubs in alpine areas), diversity of plant species (e.g., loss of important forage species for sheep), and local weather patterns (such as increased incidence of high winter snowfall and icing events), which may affect sheep distribution and abundance.<ref name=npsClimate>{{NPS|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/sheep-climate-change.htm|article=Dall Sheep and Climate Change|accessdate=2021-10-09}}</ref>
[[File:A Dall sheep eating dried vegetation (458b2240-991f-4f6f-8a11-ca92668a05ef).jpg|thumb|right|''O. dalli'' ram eating grass]]

Some species are expected to benefit from climate change while others will not. Shrubs and woody plants typically dominate plant communities at lower elevations. As elevation increases, the dominant plant community transitions to one dominated by low-growing grasses, flowers, and [[lichen]]s. Warming climate trends, longer growing seasons, and changes in precipitation have the potential to allow woody plant species to find suitable habitat at higher elevations.<ref name=npsClimate/>

As a result, low-growing [[alpine plant|alpine species]] may be out-competed or shaded by the encroaching woody plants. Changes in the seasonal availability and diversity of alpine plants may affect ''O. dalli'' populations by altering sheep diets and consequently where they can live in mountain parks, as well as ewe pregnancy rates and lamb growth and survival.<ref name=npsClimate/>