Preserving the Future of the Vulnerable Endemic Species Quercus arkansana

Project Contact: Suresh Subedi, Assistant Professor, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

Executive Summary: The Arkansas Oak (Quercus arkansana) is at risk of becoming endangered, as the total known population size is represented by a few isolated populations, with its once widespread range in the southeastern United States now reduced to small, fragmented populations. Climate change, habitat loss, and insufficient conservation measures are accelerating its decline. Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and precipitation variability disrupt natural regeneration by impairing the cold stratification and moisture conditions necessary for acorn germination. This project aims to address these challenges by combining field surveys, experimental germination studies, and predictive modeling to develop actionable conservation strategies for Q. arkansana.

Target Species: 
Quercus arkansana (VU)