Think globally, measure locally: The MIREN standardized protocol for monitoring plant species distributions along elevation gradients
Authors: Haider Sylvia , Lembrechts Jonas J. , McDougall Keith , Pauchard Aníbal , Alexander Jake M. , Barros Agustina , Cavieres Lohengrin A. , Rashid Irfan , Rew Lisa J. , Aleksanyan Alla , Arévalo José R. , Aschero Valeria , Chisholm Chelsea , Clark V. Ralph , Clavel Jan , Daehler Curtis , Dar Pervaiz A. , Dietz Hansjörg , Dimarco Romina D. , Edwards Peter , Essl Franz , Fuentes‐Lillo Eduardo , Guisan Antoine , Gwate Onalenna , Hargreaves Anna L. , Jakobs Gabi , Jiménez Alejandra , Kardol Paul , Kueffer Christoph , Larson Christian , Lenoir Jonathan , Lenzner Bernd , Padrón Mederos Miguel A. , Mihoc Maritza , Milbau Ann , Morgan John W. , Müllerová Jana , Naylor Bridgett J. , Nijs Ivan , Nuñez Martin A. , Otto Rüdiger , Preuk Niels , Ratier Backes Amanda , Reshi Zafar A. , Rumpf Sabine B. , Sandoya Verónica , Schroder Mellesa , Speziale Karina L. , Urbach Davnah , Valencia Graciela , Vandvik Vigdis , Vitková Michaela , Vorstenbosch Tom , Walker Tom W. N. , Walsh Neville , Wright Genevieve , Zong Shengwei , Seipel Tim 
Published: February 2022

Climate change and other global change drivers threaten plant diversity in mountains worldwide. A widely documented response to such environmental modifications is for plant species to change their elevational ranges. Range shifts are often idiosyncratic and difficult to generalize, partly due to variation in sampling methods. There is thus a need for a standardized monitoring strategy that can be applied across mountain regions to assess distribution changes and community turnover of native and non‐native plant species over space and time. Here, we present a conceptually intuitive and standardized protocol developed by the Mountain Invasion Research Network (MIREN) to systematically quantify global patterns of native and non‐native species distributions along elevation gradients and shifts arising from interactive effects of climate change and human disturbance. Usually repeated every five years, surveys consist of 20 sample sites located at equal elevation increments along three replicate roads per sampling region. At each site, three plots extend from the side of a mountain road into surrounding natural vegetation. The protocol has been successfully used in 18 regions worldwide from 2007 to present. Analyses of one point in time already generated some salient results, and revealed region‐specific elevational patterns of native plant species richness, but a globally consistent elevational decline in non‐native species richness. Non‐native plants were also more abundant directly adjacent to road edges, suggesting that disturbed roadsides serve as a vector for invasions into mountains. From the upcoming analyses of time series, even more exciting results can be expected, especially about range shifts. Implementing the protocol in more mountain regions globally would help to generate a more complete picture of how global change alters species distributions. This would inform conservation policy in mountain ecosystems, where some conservation policies remain poorly implemented.