Biogeig, Williams et al 2007

What are no-analog communities?

Species combinations not found together today.

Are no-analog communities ecological or evolutionary?

Ecological; species are reshuffled, not newly evolved.

What causes no-analog communities?

Species respond individually to climate change.

Did communities migrate as intact units during deglaciation?

No, species shifted independently.

Who proposed individualistic species responses?

Gleason.

What drove Quaternary vegetation change?

Glacial–interglacial climate cycles.

What is a fundamental niche?

The full range of conditions a species can tolerate.

How can climate change create no-analog communities?

By creating novel climates and revealing unrealized niches.

Are species niches generally stable over short geological timescales?

Yes.

Where were Late Glacial no-analog communities common?

Alaska and eastern North America.

Example of an unusual species combination?

Spruce and ash together.

What evidence supports past no-analog communities?

Fossil pollen and other fossil records.

What suggests climate was the main driver?

Similar timing across regions separated by ice sheets.

What are novel climates?

Climate conditions with no modern equivalent.

Where are novel climates predicted by 2100?

Tropical and subtropical regions.

How will future novel climates differ from today?

They will be warmer.

What is uniformitarianism?

The present is the key to the past.

Why is uniformitarianism limited?

Novel climates may have no modern analogue.

What other factors may have influenced no-analog communities?

Low CO₂, megaherbivores, and low human populations.

What was the IPCC A2 scenario CO₂ prediction for 2100?

~850 ppm.

One-line summary?

Novel climates cause species to shift independently, creating no-analog communities.