Trees Are Now Moving Due to Climate Change, But It’s Not the First Time

From the article

>A new study published today in the [*Journal of Vegetation Science*](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/16541103) shows that trees in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest are migrating in response to the changing climate. Stretching over 3,000 kilometers along Brazil’s coast and inland to Argentina and Paraguay, the forest is home to a vast array of plant and animal species.

>However, centuries of deforestation and habitat destruction have [reduced the forest by around 85%.](https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/atlantic-forest/) Now, tree species within these mountain forests are moving. Some have slowly migrated uphill to escape the heat, while some trees in the lowland forests are migrating downhill. While the movement of trees to more suitable climates is a long-recognized phenomenon, the speed at which these well-rooted plants move remains somewhat mysterious.

>The current migration is not straightforward, as various factors, such as competition between species and the availability of suitable habitats, influence it. The younger trees in high-altitude forests are more adaptable and move uphill, indicating that they are better equipped to handle the changing temperatures.

>“We found that different species are moving in different directions – in lower forests, trees are moving downhill more often than uphill, probably due to factors besides temperature, like competition between species,” explained lead author Dr. Rodrigo Bergamin in a press release. “However, in the forest higher up in the mountains, most species are moving uphill as temperatures rise and the undergrowth becomes more suited to those trees favouring warm temperatures. This could mean that species needing colder temperatures are at risk of dying out as the world continues to warm.”