Elevational Range Shifts of Trees in Response to a Changing Climate

As the global climate warms, economically and ecologically important trees are shifting their ranges upslope, resulting in community turnover toward warm-adapted species (thermophilization) and the upward movement of tree lines. Responses are highly variable across species and locations and often are not rapid enough to keep pace with climate change, potentially due to tree longevity and nonclimatic factors that constrain range shifts. We review critical unknowns in the field, including how elevational range shifts and the factors that constrain or limit them vary across taxa and geographic gradients. Management actions, including tree planting, removal, or the manipulation of disturbances, are only just being implemented to mitigate the negative consequences of tree elevational range shifts. We suggest that coordinated global and comparative research, together with cross-sector collaboration, is vital for addressing key unknowns and managing elevational range shifts of trees while maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function.