Population persistence, phenotypic divergence and metabolic adaptation in yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) along a climate gradient, CA, 1920 to 2023

This dataset provides insights into the persistence and adaptation of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.) populations over a 100-year period of climate change. The data include plant height measurements and climatic variables (temperature and precipitation) from historical and resurveyed sites spanning a broad environmental gradient (1–3,200 m a.s.l.), alongside metabolic profiles obtained from a common-garden experiment. The dataset captures phenotypic changes in plant growth, metabolic diversity, and site-specific climatic shifts between 1920 and 2020. These data support analyses of how temperature and precipitation interact to shape plant responses over time and allow for exploring patterns of local adaptation in phenotypic and metabolic traits. This comprehensive dataset is valuable for understanding the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying population persistence and can inform conservation strategies under future climate scenarios.