Sammendrag
As both native and exotic species shift their distributions in response to climate change and through biological invasions, many expand their ranges across elevational gradients. This expansion results in the reassembly of ecological communities, mediating the effects of climate warming on biodiversity and key ecosystem functions. The transdisciplinary project RangeX seeks to better understand these range shifts in mountain systems by conducting replicated field and laboratory experiments in climatically and socio-ecologically contrasting regions around the globe. By investigating novel biotic interactions both above and below ground across multiple elevations, we aim to: (i) disentangle the drivers of range expansions; (ii) uncover the ecological consequences of range-expanding species; (iii) predict the extent and impacts of future range expansions; (iv) develop policy recommendations related to range-expanding species in montane environments.
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