Digest: Gene flow timing uncovers a cloud forest downslope shift in warmer times.

ABSTRACT

Are the distributions of mountain species shifting up or downslope under climate change? Contrary to the long-held view of global warming forcing an upslope shift of montane ecosystems, Salces-Castellano et al. found that populations of a beetle tightly associated to cloud forests were isolated through the ice ages but in contact during interglacial periods, suggesting downslope shifts of cloud forest when temperature increases.