Climate Change has had noticeable role in grassland degradation, for its characteristics are not suitable for the growth of grass.[10] The increase in average temperatures of regions makes them less suitable for grass to grow due to the more rapid evaporation of water that was formerly utilized by the grass.[2][11] Furthermore, neither periods of much rain nor stretches of drought, both of which become more prevalent with climate change, encourage the growing of grass.[4] It is especially harmful when the times of drought are during growing season, as is the case near the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers in China.[1] Additionally, since alpine regions, where degradation typically occurs, are commonly of high elevation, they are more easily affected by climate and its changes.[12] Some scientists, however, write off climate change as an insignificant cause of degradation.[6]