Ancient pine trees clinging to rocky, sky-island peak

Sky-Island Secrets: How Mountain Forests Adapt to Climate Change

Rhea Morgan in Climate & Environment June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover the resilient strategies of pine trees in sky-island forests and what their survival tells us about adapting to a warmer world."

Forests are the backbone of our planet, vital for everything from clean air to stable ecosystems. But as global warming intensifies, these precious resources face unprecedented threats. Understanding how different tree species adapt to changing climates is crucial for preserving these natural wonders for future generations.

Recent research has turned its attention to the 'sky-island' forests of the western United States. These unique ecosystems, perched atop isolated mountain ranges, offer a natural laboratory for studying climate adaptation. The distinct environments on these mountains create varying levels of heat and drought stress, challenging the trees to develop resilient survival strategies.

A groundbreaking study has investigated the stem circadian phenology – the daily rhythms of stem growth and water use – in four key pine species across these sky-island forests. By analyzing years of detailed data, scientists are uncovering the secrets to how these trees cope with diverse climatic conditions, including severe drought and heat stress.

What Makes Sky-Island Forests Special?

Ancient pine trees clinging to rocky, sky-island peak

The Great Basin and Mojave Deserts are characterized by arid and semi-arid conditions, where water availability is the main limiting factor for natural systems. Both deserts are characterized by pronounced elevation gradients in precipitation and temperature, so that mountain ranges, depending on their elevation and topography, can be dominated by sky-island conifer forests that experience dry and hot summers as well as cold and snowy winters.

Latitudinal variability in climate also exists, as the northern areas tend to be characterized by winter and spring precipitation, with associated snowpack dynamics, whereas the southern areas tend to be more affected by summertime rainfall brought by the northwest edge of the North American Monsoon system. Tree species growing in these regions are able to survive under a climatic regime characterized by periods of hyperarid conditions, so that greater understanding of their ecohydrological dynamics may help predict how tree species will fare under the warmer and drier world forecasted by global warming scenarios.

Unique Microclimates: Sky islands boast diverse microclimates due to elevation changes, leading to varied precipitation and temperature patterns.
Isolated Populations: Tree populations are often isolated, encouraging unique adaptations to local conditions.
Climate Change Hotspots: These regions are highly sensitive to climate change, making them ideal for studying the effects of warming and drought.

To unlock the secrets of tree adaptation, scientists focused on two key locations: a subalpine site in the central Great Basin and a montane site on the border of the Mojave and Great Basin deserts. These sites, part of the Nevada Climate and ecohydrological Assessment Network (NevCAN), provided a wealth of data on environmental variables and tree stem dynamics.

Lessons from the Sky Islands

The study highlights the remarkable adaptability of trees in sky-island forests. By understanding how these species respond to varying environmental conditions, we can gain valuable insights into promoting forest resilience in the face of climate change. Protecting these unique ecosystems is essential for preserving biodiversity and ensuring the health of our planet.

About this Article -

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This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.3390/f9070396, Alternate LINK

Title: Stem Circadian Phenology Of Four Pine Species In Naturally Contrasting Climates From Sky-Island Forests Of The Western Usa

Subject: Forestry

Journal: Forests

Publisher: MDPI AG

Authors: Emanuele Ziaco, Franco Biondi

Published: 2018-07-04

Everything You Need To Know

What makes 'sky-island' forests particularly valuable for studying climate change adaptation in trees?

Sky-island forests are unique ecosystems found on isolated mountain ranges. Their distinct environments, driven by elevation changes, create varied precipitation and temperature patterns. This isolation fosters unique adaptations in tree populations, making them ideal locations for studying climate change impacts, especially drought and warming.

What specific aspect of tree behavior did the research investigate to understand climate adaptation in pine species, and why is it important?

The research focused on 'stem circadian phenology,' which refers to the daily rhythms of stem growth and water use in the four pine species. By analyzing years of data on these rhythms, scientists gained insights into how these trees cope with diverse climatic conditions, including severe drought and heat stress, across the sky-island forests.

How do the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts contribute to the formation and unique characteristics of sky-island forests?

The Great Basin and Mojave Deserts feature elevation gradients that influence precipitation and temperature, leading to sky-island conifer forests on mountain ranges. The northern areas receive winter and spring precipitation, impacting snowpack dynamics, while the southern areas experience summertime rainfall from the North American Monsoon system. This variability creates periods of hyperarid conditions that the tree species must endure, making the ecohydrological dynamics critical for survival.

Where were the specific locations used for data collection in this sky-island forests study and why were they chosen?

The study focused on two key locations: a subalpine site in the central Great Basin and a montane site on the border of the Mojave and Great Basin deserts. These sites are part of the Nevada Climate and ecohydrological Assessment Network (NevCAN). These sites provided extensive data on environmental variables and tree stem dynamics, facilitating the study of tree adaptation strategies.

What are the broader implications of understanding how pine trees adapt in sky-island forests, and why is this knowledge important for global forest conservation?

Understanding the adaptive strategies of pine trees in sky-island forests is crucial for several reasons. It provides insights into how forests can be managed to enhance resilience in the face of climate change, which is vital for preserving biodiversity and ensuring the continued health of our planet. By studying drought resistance and adaptation mechanisms, we can develop strategies to protect forests in other regions facing similar challenges. While the study focuses on pine trees, further study will also need to address forests with various species in different locations.