Gene flow may influence the formation of species range limits, and yet little is known about the patterns of gene flow with respect to environmental gradients or proximity to range limits. With rapid environmental change, it is especially important to understand patterns of gene flow to inform conservation efforts. Here we investigate the species range of the selfing, annual plant,
Climate change has influenced species distributions worldwide with upward elevational shifts observed in many systems. Leading range edge populations, like those at upper elevation limits, are crucial for climate change responses but can exhibit low genetic diversity due to founder effects, isolation, or limited outbreeding. These factors can hamper local adaptation at range limits. Using the widespread herb,
- Award ID(s):
- 2015459
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10405397
- Publisher / Repository:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Heredity
- Volume:
- 130
- Issue:
- 6
- ISSN:
- 0018-067X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 347-357
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Synthesis and applications . Human trampling disturbance exerts differential effects on alpine cushion plant populations at contrasting range limits, emphasizing the need to account for the effects of climate change into the management and conservation of disturbed areas. Disturbance can diminish plant–plant competitive interactions at lower elevational range limits, and thus possibly stabilize alpine species populations susceptible to climate change‐mediated encroachment by lower elevation species. Conservation and management approaches should therefore particularly account for the differential effects of disturbance across climatic gradients.
