Trans-Sierra Climatic & Vegetational Contrasts at the Last Glacial Termination: The History of a Major Biogeographic Boundary

戴维斯教授将对花粉沉积物进行分析，以确定加州东部内华达山脉的气候影响是如何从上一个冰川高峰到现在发生变化的。目前，塞拉峰顶将东部的旱地植被与西部的mesic森林植被分开。在最后一个冰期，边界没有那么明显；塞拉山脉两个斜坡上的植被相似。该项目将检查植被变化的时间，并试图确定降水和温度变化的何种组合导致了记录在案的植被模式变化。这一研究结果将增加我们对气候和植被变化过程的认识，以及区域变化与全球变化的关系。

Professor Davis will conduct analyses of pollen deposits to determine how the climatic effects of the Sierra Nevada of eastern California have changed from the last glacial maximum to the present. The Sierra crest currently separates dryland vegetation to the east from mesic forest vegetation to the west. In the last glacial age the boundary was not as sharp; vegetation was similar on both slopes of the Sierra. This project will examine the timing of vegetation changes and will attempt to determine what combination of precipitation and temperature changes produced the documented shift in vegetation patterns. The results of this research will increase our understanding of processes of climatic and vegetation change and the ways regional changes are related to global changes.