Climate change and conservation in a warm North American desert: effect in shrubby plants.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Deserts are biologically rich habitats with a vast array of animals and plants adapted to xeric conditions, and most deserts are among the planet's last remaining areas of total wilderness. Among North American deserts, the Chihuahuan Desert has the highest levels of diversity and endemism. To understand the effect of future climate change on plants distributed in this arid land and propose effective conservation planning, we focused on five endemic shrubby species that characterize the Chihuahuan Desert and used an integrative approach.

Methods

Ecological niche-based modeling, spatial genetics and ecological resistance analyses were carried out to identify the effect of global warming on the studied five shrubby species. Key areas that need to be preserved were i

SUBMITTER: Sosa V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6409089 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature