Extreme events and future dryland plant regeneration: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Regeneration of long-lived perennial plants in dryland ecosystems is highly episodic in response to extreme events, crucial for enabling successful restoration of dryland plant communities, and likely to be dramatically impacted by climate change. Some extreme conditions that were historically important in limiting regeneration, notably frost exposure, may become less restrictive in the future, while other extreme conditions, notably drought, may become more restrictive. Strategies for promoting successful regeneration in drylands may require recognizing these changing restrictions and working within natural environmental fluctuations to identify and capitalize on episodic opportunities.