PhD Oral Defense: Potential for northern range expansion of the understory flora of temperate Québec: edaphic, climatic and biotic factors
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PhD Oral Defense of Freida Beauregard, Plant Science
The overarching goal of my project was to determine the influence of abiotic and biotic factors on the distribution of forest plants to improve predictions of climate change effects on biodiversity. I first modelled the current distribution, and then projected the potential future distribution in eastern North America of 207 plant species using current and projected future climates. These climate-species models indicated potentially large northward displacements of suitable climates for most species, raising the question of range expansion. In a second study, I went beyond a climate-centric view of plant distribution to test whether including fine scale edaphic variables would add value to distribution models for 128 plant species of temperate and boreal forests of Québec. ... In the third study, I proposed an approach to analyse current occupancy patterns at cold range edges to identify patterns consistent with climate or other environmental limitations.
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