Received: 29 August 2018 | Revised: 22 December 2018 | Accepted: 7 January 2019 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4944 ORIGINAL RESEARCH Conservation of genetic diversity hotspots of the high‐valued relic yellowhorn (Xanthoceras sorbifolium) considering climate change predictions Ren‐Bin Zhu1,2* | Qing Wang3,4* | Wen‐Bin Guan3 | Yanjia Mao1 | Bin Tian5 | Ji‐Min Cheng2,6 | Yousry A. El‐Kassaby4 1Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, China 2College of Resource and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China 3School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China 4Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 5Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation in Southwest China, State Forestry Administration, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, China 6Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water resources, Yangling, China Correspondence Ji‐Min Cheng, College of Resource and Abstract Environment, Northwest A&F University, Genetic structure and major climate factors may contribute to the distribution of Yangling, China. Email:
[email protected] genetic diversity of a highly valued oil tree species Xanthoceras sorbifolium (yellow‐ or horn). Long‐term over utilization along with climate change is affecting the viability of Yousry A. El‐Kassaby, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of yellowhorn wild populations. To preserve the