The ecology of Canada yew (Taxus canadensis Marsh.): a review
Windels SK and Flaspohler DJ. 2011. The ecology of Canada yew (Taxus canadensis Marsh.): a review. Botany. 89(1):1-17
Historic accounts of Canada yew (Taxus canadensis) suggest that before Euro-American settlement, Canada yew was a common plant across its range (understories of boreal and deciduous forests of northeastern North America) and that it was locally abundant or dominant in 5%-20% of forest stands in the northern part of its range. Canada yew is now considered uncommon through most of its present North American range, except for isolated populations in areas that remain free from heavy browsing pressure by moose and deer. Fire, intensive forest management, and clearing of land for agriculture and development also contributed to population decline. The decline of Canada yew (Taxus canadensis) has likely resulted in changes to abiotic and biotic conditions, including structure and composition of understory vegetation and concomitant effects on understory vertebrates. Increasing white-tailed deer populations and reduced snowfall as a result of climate change in eastern North America threaten to extirpate this species from additional parts of its range in the next century.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Windels, Steve; Flaspohler, David
- Units
- PIRO
- Keywords
- Autecology, browsing effects, Canada yew (Taxus canadensis), Distribution, White-Tailed Deer