Nature Communications (May 2017)

A dynamic eco-evolutionary model predicts slow response of alpine plants to climate warming

  • Olivier Cotto,
  • Johannes Wessely,
  • Damien Georges,
  • Günther Klonner,
  • Max Schmid,
  • Stefan Dullinger,
  • Wilfried Thuiller,
  • Frédéric Guillaume

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15399
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

Read online

Environmental niche models are often used to predict species responses to climate change but they neglect the potential for evolutionary responses. Here, Cottoet al. develop a model incorporating demographic processes and evolutionary dynamics and show that perennial alpine plants persist in unsuitable habitats but produce maladapted offspring.