The future of subalpine forests in the Southern Rocky Mountains: Trajectories for Pinus aristata genetic lineages.

ABSTRACT: Like many other high elevation alpine tree species, Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata Engelm.) may be particularly vulnerable to climate change. To evaluate its potential vulnerability to shifts in climate, we defined the suitable climate space for each of four genetic lineages of bristlecone pine and for other subalpine tree species in close proximity to bristlecone pine forests. Measuring changes in the suitable climate space for lineage groups is an important step beyond models that assume species are genetically homogenous. The suitable climate space for bristlecone pine in the year 2090 is projected to decline by 74% and the proportional distribution of suitable climate space for genetic lineages shifts toward those associated with warmer and wetter conditions. The 2090

SUBMITTER: Malone SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5858753 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature