Recent research shows that plants in Mesoamerican cloud forests are migrating upwards by 1.8 to 2.7 meters annually due to climate change impacts. Santiago Ramirez, the lead author of a groundbreaking study, highlights the significance of this shift as an indicator of intricate ecological changes. With cloud forests covering only 1% of the land and comprising 18% of regional plant diversity—yet with minimal protection—they are among the most vulnerable ecosystems, further underscoring the pressing need for conservation measures amid a lack of empirical data on tree movement.
In the cloud forests of Mesoamerica, plant species have been migrating upwards at a rate of 1.8 to 2.7 meters per year since 1979 as they respond to climate change.
Santiago Ramirez Barahona emphasizes that the shift of plant species climbing mountains is a significant indicator of the complex ecological impacts of climate change.
Only a small fraction of the plant diversity found in cloud forests is currently under protection, highlighting a critical need for conservation efforts.
The cloud forests, which comprise just 1% of land area in the region, are vital yet fragile, hosting more than 6,000 vascular plant species.
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