Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Coffea arabica (Arabica coffee) is an important cash crop in Yunnan, China. Ongoing climate change has made coffee production more difficult to sustain, posing challenges for the region's coffee industry. Predictions of the distribution of potentially suitable habitats for Arabica coffee in Yunnan could provide a theoretical basis for the cultivation and rational management of this species. METHODS: In this study, the MaxEnt model was used to predict the potential distribution of suitable habitat for Arabica coffee in Yunnan under current and future (2021-2100) climate scenarios (SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) using 56 distributional records and 17 environmental variables and to analyze the important environmental factors. Marxan model was used to plan the priority planting areas for this species at last. RESULTS: The predicted suitable and sub-suitable areas were about 4.21×10(4) km(2) and 13.87×10(4) km(2), respectively, accounting for 47.15% of the total area of the province. The suitable areas were mainly concentrated in western and southern Yunnan. The minimum temperature of the coldest month, altitude, mean temperature of the wettest quarter, slope, and aluminum saturation were the main environmental variables affecting the distribution of Arabica coffee in Yunnan Province. Changes in habitat suitability for Arabica coffee were most significant and contracted under the SSP3-7.0 climate scenario, while expansion was highest under the SSP5-8.5 climate scenario. Priority areas for Arabica coffee cultivation in Yunnan Province under the 30% and 50% targets were Pu'er, Xishuangbanna, Honghe, Dehong, and Kunming. DISCUSSION: Climate, soil, and topography combine to influence the potential geographic distribution of Arabica coffee. Future changes in suitable habitat areas under different climate scenarios should lead to the delineation of coffee-growing areas based on appropriate environmental conditions and active policy measures to address climate change.