DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Is the grass greener on the other side? Understanding plant range expansion dynamics in a changing world

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As climate change alters temperature and precipitation, the distributions of plant species are expected to shift. However, the ability of plants to survive and grow in new areas will also depend upon how well they can resist the new sets of herbivores and pathogens they are likely to encounter. To investigate this in the forests of Michigan, a large experiment is underway in which 8,000 seedlings of 10 species of trees have been planted at 5 sites at different latitudes within and beyond the current ranges of the species. This project will enable researchers to identify the individual herbivores and pathogens that are attacking the trees at the different sites, and to tell which are responsible for the damage and disease observed. Results will help assess whether biotic interactions will prevent forests in this region of the U.S. from surviving climate change through species migration. This project will train a Ph.D. student and an undergraduate student, and help continue educational outreach to 9th grade students. Results will also help the U.S. to anticipate and mitigate the negative effects of climate change on its natural resources.