The ecology of Canada Yew (Taxus canadensis Marsh.): A review

Canada yew (Taxus canadensis Marsh.) is a shade-tolerant evergreen shrub native to the understories of the boreal and deciduous forests of northeastern North America. Canada yew has a relatively unique growth form, with low sprawling branches capable of forming dense clusters of stems. Historic accounts suggest that before Euro-American settlement, Canada yew was a common plant across its range in many forest types and that it was locally abundant or dominant in 5%–20% of forest stands in the northern part of its range. Canada yew’s range has declined during the last century as a result of browsing by native ungulates, fire, intensive forest management, and clearing of land for agriculture and other development. It is considered uncommon throughout most of its present North American range, except for often isolated populations in areas that remain free from heavy browsing pressure by moose and deer (e.g., islands, areas with heavy snow cover, or areas naturally low in ungulate abundance). Its decline has likely resulted in changes to abiotic and biotic conditions, including structure and composition of understory vegetation and concomitant effects on understory vertebrates. Increasing white-tailed deer populations and reduced snowfall as a result of climate change in eastern North America threaten to extirpate this species from additional parts of its range in the next century. Suggestions for future research are discussed.