New research demonstrates that Jeffrey pine trees have learned to grow at over 12,657 feet. This incredible find is on the east side of California’s High Sierra. This incredible elevation not only breaks previous records for the species but represents a substantial range extension. It extends well beyond the typical western palette of subalpine vegetation. The ability of these trees to adapt to such heights points to major planetary ecological forces at work under the arrest of climatic change.
Jeffrey pine, a Sierra Nevada native conifer, on the east slope of the Sierra. You can frequently identify it in the upper montane zone, particularly near Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes. The Jeffrey pine is hard to miss with its bright, reddish-brown bark and long, needle-like, dark green leaves. In fact, it can grow super tall, getting over 100 feet tall. Packed inside these cylindrical brown cones are the fleshy seeds that are absolutely essential to Clark’s nutcrackers. These migratory songbirds literally take the seeds from low elevation sites up to the mountain tops.
Their discovery at these extreme limits negates that connection and shows the incredible resilience of these trees. These trees exemplify remarkable resilience. They were all adapted to withstand extreme conditions, enduring both frigid climates and times of extreme drought. They are incredibly resilient, able to grow in nutrient depleted soil, tolerate extreme temperatures and weather events. This fantastic resilience was seen once again when they spread their breeding range even farther into the Sierra Nevada’s high-altitude landscapes.
Additionally, the mutualistic partnership between Jeffrey pines and Clark’s nutcracker further highlights the delicate ecological balance. When the nutcrackers gather seeds and cache them in the High Sierra’s “natural refrigerator,” some of them never get eaten. This term refers to the lower temperatures found at high elevations, which produce an important food source in the early summer months when food is otherwise limited.
The record set by the Jeffrey pine’s elevation record begs some important questions. We have to understand the bigger impacts climate change is having on California’s forest ecosystems. As temperatures rise and weather patterns shift, the ability of these trees to adapt to higher elevations may reflect a changing climate. For one, this adaptation would change the distribution of tree species throughout the Sierra Nevada. Just like plant communities, it will have consequences on the wildlife around them.