A new microrefugial distribution of Fagus orientalis Lipsky. (Oriental Beech) in the Mediterranean Region (Antalya, Türkiye)

Fagus orientalis Lipsky (Oriental beech) is a keystone species of temperate forests, distributed from the Balkans and Northern Anatolia to the Caucasus and northern Iran, with refugial populations in the Amanos Mountains and surrounding regions of Eastern Mediterranean Türkiye. Here, we report a newly identified refugial population in the Gidengelmez Mountains (Akseki district, Antalya Province, Türkiye), located under Mediterranean climatic influence and beyond the species’ previously documented range. This discovery highlights the ecological and biogeographical significance of southern Anatolia as a reservoir of genetic diversity and contributes to regional conservation priorities. The occurrence of F. orientalis in this location provides novel evidence for reassessing Quaternary migration routes, challenging the prevailing view of the Anatolian diagonal as the primary dispersal corridor and suggesting that alternative pathways or localized microrefugia may have shaped the species’ historical distribution. Importantly, the persistence of F. orientalis under Mediterranean climate underscores the critical role of micro-topographical refugia in sustaining temperate forest species under climate constraints. Given its unique position at the southern edge of the species’ range, we recommend that this newly discovered population be prioritized for conservation to safeguard its genetic legacy and ecological function in a warming world.