'Assisted Migration' When trees start to move due to climate change

Climate change is causing trees to move to different areas, but it's not a straightforward process. Some trees are shifting towards the poles or higher elevations, while others are moving east-west in response to changes in moisture.

Recent studies show that many types of trees are already changing their locations because of climate change. Some are moving towards the poles or higher up mountains, while others are moving east-west to find areas with the right amount of water.

However, it’s not always easy for species to move. For example, in the eastern US, many tree species might be losing ground at the edges of their ranges. Different types of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine trees might react differently to climate change, and some might be more at risk than others. Changes in the environment due to logging and other human activities, as well as practices like stopping wildfires, might also affect how and where tree species move.

What is Assisted Migration?

Assisted migration is a proactive approach to conservation. As temperatures rise and ecosystems change, many species struggle to adapt quickly enough. In response, conservationists may decide to move these species to more suitable habitats.

This strategy is particularly relevant for species that are unable to migrate on their own, either due to physical barriers or the rapid pace of climate change. By assisting these species in their migration, conservationists hope to prevent extinctions and preserve biodiversity.

In assisted migration, humans actively intervene to facilitate the movement of species to areas where they are not currently found but may offer more suitable conditions in the future. This can involve transplanting individuals or populations of a species to a different location, either within their existing range or to entirely new regions. The goal is to help species avoid extinction by providing them with opportunities to thrive in environments that match their preferred climate and ecological conditions.

Scientific Background

Research has shown that moving different types of trees to new areas can help them survive and benefit local populations. For example, studies on white spruce trees in Quebec showed that these trees can adapt well to different conditions. This suggests that seeds from the south could be planted in the north to improve growth and productivity without harming the survival of young trees.

Promising results have also been found for species with smaller ranges. Experiments with whitebark pine showed that seeds can successfully grow into trees far to the north of where they usually grow. Seeds from Oregon and Washington did well when planted in northwestern British Columbia. These studies show that moving species to new areas could be a good way to help them survive in changing climates.

Even though it’s hard to predict exactly how species will move in the future, one thing is clear: many species could die out locally or completely if they can’t get used to new conditions, evolve, or move to new habitats. Given how fast things are changing, there’s a big risk that some species won’t be able to move fast enough to keep up.

Moving to new areas naturally can take a long time, especially for trees, which take years to mature and reproduce. After the last Ice Age, many tree species moved at rates of 100 to 500 meters per year. But recently, some areas in the US have seen changes happening at rates of 1,000 to 10,000 meters per year. These rates depend on how fast the climate is changing and how much the climate varies across different areas.

Types of Assisted Migration

Assisted migration is a way to help animals or plants move to new areas. In forestry, it usually refers to helping trees move. There are three types of assisted tree migration:

1. Assisted Population Expansion: This means helping a group of trees grow in number and spread out in the area where they already live. It can also mean planting trees in places where they used to grow naturally. This is the safest type of tree migration because it only involves native species and doesn’t introduce trees to new areas.
2. Assisted Range Expansion: This involves helping trees spread to nearby areas. For example, where a forest meets a city. This is being done in Minnesota, where warmer conditions due to climate change are causing forest service scientists to help trees that like warmth move north.
3. Assisted Species Migration: This means moving species to places they wouldn’t reach without human help. This is the riskiest type of tree migration because it involves moving trees to completely new areas with different climates and potential for invasive species. However, some scientists believe it’s the best way to save certain species from the effects of climate change.

These strategies are often used together in wildlife management and reforestation efforts to increase biodiversity, which is threatened by climate change, overlogging, and overhunting.

Can trees move on their own?

Yes, trees can move, but not on their own like animals do. Trees start by planting their seeds in one place. The seeds can then move to new locations in different ways:

1. Wind can carry seeds to fields far away.
2. Squirrels might forget about acorns they buried, and those can grow into new trees.
3. People walking on seeds during a hike can unknowingly take them to new places.
4. Floods can carry seeds down rivers.

However, with climate change affecting things like rainfall, the usual ways trees move and grow are getting messed up. Trees need help to adapt and survive. Humans can play a part in assisting trees to move in healthy ways for the well-being of the planet.

How do trees walk?

Trees can’t walk like we do, but they can move in their own way. They do this by spreading their seeds, which can grow into new trees in different places. Scientists have found that trees can even communicate and share resources through their roots. This can help them deal with threats like droughts.

Trees can move slowly over hundreds or thousands of years to survive changes in their environment. But with deforestation and climate change happening so fast, trees might not be able to move quickly enough on their own. That’s where human-assisted migration comes in. This involves people helping trees move to new areas.

However, there are risks. In the past, moving species to new areas has sometimes caused problems, like the spread of the spotted lanternfly in the U.S. So, it’s important to be careful. Many scientists believe that helping trees move could be a good way to deal with climate change, but it’s not a perfect solution.

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