Acclimation and adaptation of deciduous tree species seedlings to a warmer, wetter climate

Predicted changes in global climate have been coupled with the prediction of northward migration of forest species, potentially altering the community structure and carbon budgets of mid-latitudinal forests. Morphological and physiological responses of seedlings to altered temperature and precipitation may be moderated by acclimation, reducing the drive to migrate northward. An increased understanding of plant acclimation and phenotypic plasticity is critical for developing scientific models of ecological responses to global change, because trees may acclimate to a new climate before migration becomes a necessity. Studying the development of forest growth at the seedling level provides the opportunity to use whole ecosystem climate manipulation to test predictions of forest response to climate change and build a better understanding of how acclimation and adaptation affect the ability of species to succeed under future climate conditions. Do inherent adaptive traits make northern tree seedlings less able to acclimate to changing environmental conditions, reducing competitive abilities and altering species composition?