Ecological Restoration of Abies religiosa Forests Using Nurse Plants and Assisted Migration in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Assisted migration of Abies religiosa (sacred fir) combined with nurse plants significantly improves afforestation success in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. Research found that seedlings planted under existing nurse plants exhibited survival rates of 72% and 94% at two sites, compared to just 18% and 10% in open areas without shade protection. The study also demonstrated that transferring tree populations 400 meters upward in elevation—an approach known as assisted migration—does not negatively impact seedling growth, potentially aligning them better with future climate conditions. These findings suggest that incorporating nurse shrubs like Baccharis conferta into reforestation strategies can enhance ecological restoration efforts, particularly in high-elevation regions vulnerable to climate change.

Carbajal-Navarro, A., Navarro-Miranda, E., Blanco-García, A., Cruzado-Vargas, A. L., Gómez-Pineda, E., Zamora-Sánchez, C., Pineda-García, F., O’Neill, G., Gómez-Romero, M., Lindig-Cisneros, R., Johnsen, K. H., Lobit, P., Lopez-Toledo, L., Herrerías-Diego, Y., & Sáenz-Romero, C. (2019). Ecological Restoration of Abies religiosa Forests Using Nurse Plants and Assisted Migration in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00421