Cedrus libani survival and growth data from a transplant experiment and natural forests in northern Lebanon

Aims
The Cedrus dataset was set up to assess the climatic niche breadth of Cedrus libani – a relict mountain species – by comparing field observations and transplant experiment measurements within and beyond the elevational range limits of Cedrus under natural conditions.
Location
Lebanon - Near East - Mediterranean region
Methods
The transplant experiment included 8 common gardens at altitudes ranging from 110 to 2330 m, within and far beyond the warm and cold limits of Cedar distribution under natural conditions. It was set up in 2018, and monitored for three years until fall 2021 to study survival and growth of the Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) and 3 potentially competing species (Quercus calliprinos, Quercus infectoria and Pinus brutia). Field observations of Cedar presence/absence were carried out on 1023 sites.
Results
We observed surprisingly high survival and growth rates of Cedar at elevations well below its natural range in Lebanon. Below its elevational limit of 1300 m und..., Distribution of Cedar in natural conditions
To assess the altitudinal distribution of the Cedar of Lebanon in the natural conditions of northern Lebanon, we recorded its presence/absence in 1023 sites located outside urban areas and plantations, i.e., in 750 field vegetation surveys and 273 high-altitude sites with a low tree cover visually checked for its presence using satellite imagery. This dataset was used to define the elevational range of the sites harboring Cedar. The lower and upper range limits of Cedar under natural conditions were defined by the 5th and 95th quantiles of the elevational distribution of Cedar occurrences (Stahl et al., 2014).
Survival and growth in the transplant experiment
A transplant experiment was set up in northern Lebanon along Kadisha Valley. This region is at the heart of the geographical range of Lebanese Cedar populations, where a 0-3000 m elevational gradient can be covered within a few tens of km. Given that the altitudinal distribution of Cedar p..., Data files can be opened with Excel or R., # **Cedrus: *Cedrus libani* survival and growth data from a transplant experiment and natural forests in northern Lebanon**

## **Description of the data and file structure**

The Cedrus database (v.1.0) contains data from two complementary approaches: (i) observations of Cedrus libani presence/absence in natural forests of northern Lebanon; and (ii) measurements from a transplant experiment of Cedrus libani and three other species in 8 common gardens at elevations ranging from 110 m to 2330 m, far exceeding the warm and cold limits of the range of Cedar under natural conditions. The data files are the following ones:

(i) One csv-file (A1_CedrusPA) with data about the presence/absence of Cedar in 1023 sites in the mountains of northern Lebanon located outside urban areas and plantations, including 750 plots observed in the field and 273 sites photo-interpreted on satellite images in stands with a low tree cover (most often at high elevation). Elevation, mean annual temperature, mean an...