Despite available habitat at range edge, yellow-cedar migration is punctuated with a past pulse tied to colder conditions

Abstract

Aim: To explore the recent (past ~1,000 year) migration history of yellow-cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis), a climate-threatened tree, which appears to lag behind its potential climatic niche at a leading northern range edge, and infer its continued migration potential under changing climate. Location: Southeast Alaska, USA. Methods: We located 11 leading range edge yellow-cedar stands near Juneau, Alaska, determined their proportional occupancy of modelled habitat and estimated stand ages to determine approximate time of establishment. We used future climate projections to determine the potential vulnerability of these leading edge populations using a well-established risk factor for yellow-cedar mortality in the region. Results: Despite abundant potential habitat, and having existed in the study area > 675 years, yellow-cedar has only occupied a small proportion (

Citation

Krapek, John; Hennon, Paul E.; D'Amore, David V.; Buma, Brian. 2017. Despite available habitat at range edge, yellow-cedar migration is punctuated with a past pulse tied to colder conditions. Diversity and Distributions. 23(12): 1381-1392. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12630.