Global trends in tree species distribution modeling

Introduction: In recent years, species distribution modeling, a technique that allows studying the distribution of organisms in each space, has become widespread. Objectives: This study aims to analyze global trends of tree species distribution modeling in the period 1990-2022, by reviewing the scientific literature. Materials and methods: We analyzed 250 studies published in 233 scientific articles, 10 book chapters and seven theses, which were consulted in specialized databases. Results and discussion: The study variables were analyzed by correlational analysis in 78.4 % of the cases. In 48 countries, the number of studies increased during the last decade; China was the country with the most studies (21.7 %). The analysis included a total of 36 families, 69 genera and 163 species; Pinus pinceana (2.8 %) has been the most studied. The most used model/algorithm for the analysis of species distribution modeling was MaxEnt (72.8 %) and, finally, the variables used were 65, where the one with the highest use was precipitation (4.8 %). Conclusions: Tree species distribution modeling should be considered a useful tool for forecasting the potential impacts of climate change. The performance of the modeling will depend on the technique used, as well as on its interpretation, which should be made according to the species and its habitat.