All species’ distributions shift in time, but the rate of change is increasing as a result of rapid shifts in land use and anthropogenic climate change. Populations at the trailing edge of a shifting distribution may become extinct if they are unable to track climate change via dispersal. Loss of these trailing-edge populations could negatively affect regional biodiversity and genetic diversity because they are often genetically distinct from populations in other portions of the range. This is especially true in the southern Appalachian Mountains where many trailing-edge populations occur. Our lab is conducting research to understand the factors influencing the dynamics, viability, and genetic structure of trailing-edge populations in this region.
Projects
Trailing-edge population dynamics in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
Field research on trailing-edge population dynamics occurs in southwestern North Carolina where we are using observation and experimental approaches to determine the factors limiting the distributions of several species whose southern range limits occur in the region. We are also developing novel spatial models of population dynamics to draw inferences about the demographic processes contributing to range shifts.