Elevational range limits and constraints to the evolution of the climate niche

In mountainous areas such as the Alps, species generally occur over distinct elevational ranges. There are the typical lowland, mid-elevation and alpine species. But species also differ in the width of the elevational range of occurrence. In an among-species comparison, we study the trade-offs involved with elevational and temperature adaptation, and generalist-specialist trade-offs. We address these questions by niche modelling and common garden experiments involving over 100 Brassicaceae species occurring in Switzerland.