As spatial datasets of high quality and resolution for climatic and soil characteristics are analyzed, modeled, mapped, and assembled, other regions of the world could be described in the manner demonstrated for the United States and China. Current practical limitations of this approach include less-than-optimum levels of resolution for climate grids and soil polygons, incomplete knowledge of the response functions, interactions among the various factors and their relative weights, and complex interactions with other plant species and management practices. Although imperfect, these maps can be helpful in identifying appropriate species for various environmental conditions and intended uses. Future maps will be more accurate as higher resolution climate and soil data spatial coverage become available and as improved species-tolerance functions are developed.

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