Climate change impact to forest species adaptation and/or migration

Climate change means that many species are currently inhabiting an area that will become unsuitable to them (i.e. temperature and rain). These climatic alterations will require species to adapt, some rapidly so, otherwise they face local extinction (extirpation) or range constriction. The paper by Gougherty, Keller and Fitzpatrick (2021) studies the species balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), looking at the flowering time genes. These are strongly connected to seasonal and cyclic behaviour in relation to climate.(phenology), they are crucial for ensuring population viability in future climates.

They found that populations at the centre of the range are best prepared for any of the three types of offset (change) discussed in the paper. These included: local adaptation with no migration, migration to anywhere else within the range (forward offset) and reverse offset where any of the current populations are already possess adaptations to potential future climates. In comparison to central populations, those in the eastern and northern most ranges are the most likely to experience extinction. It was identified that populations in the eastern most range would likely need to migrate around 5000km, an unlikely event naturally given seed and pollen dispersal limitations and the geography of the region.

The work of the team highlighted that for P. balsamifera the influence of temperature was secondary to that of changes in winter precipitation. This along with recent research in local adaptation contradict the presumed leading/trailing edge where poleward shifts were expected to see populations experiencing the first temperature changes outside of their normal range being the first to struggle.

A key take home message is that it is populations that adapt to climate change, not a species.

Gougherty, A.V., Keller, S.R. and Fitzpatrick, M.C., 2021. Maladaptation, migration and extirpation fuel climate change risk in a forest tree species. Nature Climate Change, 11(2), pp.166-171.

November - Quote

Image credit: Tree2mydoor

 It took a long time to get where humans and our known species are today. Many triumphs and failures brought about humans, big cats, pet dogs, amphibians and birds but here they are. All we need to do now is stop them going extinct unnecessarily. 

November - Selective breeding

Selective breeding is a very old process where humans use individuals of a species or breed that display desired characteristics to ‘create’ offspring and future generations with these features. Both animals and plants are subject to selective breeding and may undergo multiple selections to give the ‘perfect’ results. Size, shape and colour are common for plants whilst muscle density, temperament or milk production are most selected in species such as cows and dogs.

Sheep for example have been selectively bred to not lose their wool so that farmers can shear the sheep fully and get more for the wool. However, this is becoming an issue, wool no longer fetches a good price on the market which means the time spent shearing is not covered by the return on the wool. Climate change is also an issue as shearing will be more imperative due to hotter summers meaning time will be lost.

In plants newer selections are catered to pest, disease and drought resistance. As with sheep wool climate change means each of these factors is increasing in ferocity and in some locations changes so regularly or is so unpredictable it cannot easily be bred for.

November - Word definition

Adaptations have made species unique. Without them there would be little or no need for identification. You may think that would make life easier, but variation keeps ecosystems balanced. Without adaptions the planet would be taken over with fewer but more powerful species. You could also view it that without adaptation and consequentially evolution, there would be no species other than bacteria and maybe not even them, on Earth.