Global patterns of protection of elevational gradients in mountain ranges

Significance Mountain ranges constitute biodiversity hotspots, and montane species are shifting their ranges in elevation in response to climate change. Protecting elevational gradients can help fully capture montane biodiversity patterns and facilitate species range shifts. We map the protection of elevational gradients for mountain ranges worldwide to reveal where elevational protection is needed and may be optimized. Most of the world’s mountain ranges are narrowly protected and lack elevational distributions needed to preserve biodiversity. This could undermine the effectiveness of protected areas (PAs) under climate change. Strategic planning is required to prioritize elevational gradients in future PA establishment; otherwise, protecting roughly half of all mountainous area will be required to protect just 17% of land across nearly all elevational gradients.