NEW PAPER ALERT

Climate change sentinel or false prophet? The case of Aloe dichotoma

The Plant Conservation Unit is pleased to announce the publication of an exciting new paper by Sam Jack, Timm Hoffman and colleagues in the journal Biodiversity Research. The abstract is provided below but the full paper may be downloaded at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ddi.12438/full.

"Previous research suggests that equatorward populations of the iconic arborescent succulent Aloe dichotoma Masson are contracting in response to recent anthropogenic climate change (ACC) in southern Africa. However, previous studies did not account for small-scale spatial heterogeneity, latitudinal climatic disjunctions or when mortality occurred. We reassess A. dichotoma's suitability as an indicator species and comment on pitfalls in the selection of species with similar life history characteristics."