Unexpected westward range shifts in European forest plants link to nitrogen deposition

biogeography
climate change
forest dynamics
Author

Sanczuk, Verheyen, Lenoir, Zellweger, Lembrechts, Rodríguez-Sánchez, Baeten, Bernhardt-Römermann, De Pauw, Vangansbeke, Perring, Berki, Bjorkman, Brunet, Chudomelová, De Lombaerde, Decocq, Dirnböck, Durak, Greiser, Hédl, Heinken, Jandt, Jaroszewicz, Kopecký, Landuyt, Macek, Máliš, Naaf, Nagel, Petřík, Reczyńska, Schmidt, Standovár, Staude, Świerkosz, Teleki, Vanneste, Vild, Waller, De Frenne

Doi

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ado0878

Citation

Sanczuk, P., Verheyen, K., Lenoir, J., Zellweger, F., Lembrechts, J.J., Rodríguez-Sánchez, F., et al. (2024) Unexpected westward range shifts in European forest plants link to nitrogen deposition. Science, 386, 193–198.

Abstract

Climate change is commonly assumed to induce species’ range shifts toward the poles. Yet, other environmental changes may affect the geographical distribution of species in unexpected ways. Here, we quantify multidecadal shifts in the distribution of European forest plants and link these shifts to key drivers of forest biodiversity change: climate change, atmospheric deposition (nitrogen and sulfur), and forest canopy dynamics. Surprisingly, westward distribution shifts were 2.6 times more likely than northward ones. Not climate change, but nitrogen-mediated colonization events, possibly facilitated by the recovery from past acidifying deposition, best explain westward movements. Biodiversity redistribution patterns appear complex and are more likely driven by the interplay among several environmental changes than due to the exclusive effects of climate change alone.

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