There's a Secret World Under the Snow, and It's in Trouble

As much of the U.S. East Coast continues to dig out from last week’s historic blizzard, it’s easy to think of snow as a disruptive force that causes normal life to come to a standstill. While that might be true for large cities and the people who live in them, it is not true for wildlife—especially wild animals that have long made their homes in the fields and forests.
Those creatures have evolved to live with snow in winter and are adapted to its presence.
 They have learned to thrive in its depths and use its protective cover for shelter and food.
 The problem is that climate change is due to bring strange changes to winter all around.
Places not expecting any snow may get it in large amounts at surprising times.
Meanwhile, places expecting lots of snow may not see any all winter, or may not see it until very late in the season. Scientists are discovering that this may mean big changes for a lot of creatures—not just the distant polar bears struggling to stay afloat on crumbling ice floes up north, but also for lots of the creatures living in our own backyards. Porcupines, frogs, shrews, voles and even woolly bear caterpillars all may struggle if the snow that they have long lived with all winter begins to change.