DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Future Woodland Composition in a Changing Climate: Abiotic and Biotic Controls on Tree Regeneration

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Around the world, woody species are experiencing extensive mortality due to drought and insect outbreaks brought on by warmer temperatures. This has already altered the structure of forests and woodlands and affected fluxes of water and energy, carbon stocks, and ecosystem services. This project will evaluate the effects of climate on the woodlands of piñon pine and juniper trees that cover much of the southwestern U.S. Previous, intensive work on the ability of new trees to establish themselves from seeds in one locality will be combined with data on woodland composition, soils, and local climate across the region and analyzed to discover relationships between climate and forest regeneration. This will help predict how the vegetation of the southwest may shift with future change in climate, and advance our general understanding of how changes on a global scale affect local ecological systems.The societal impacts of this study include increasing collaborations between university scientists and land managers, mentoring K-12 and undergraduate students, and incorporating the research into teaching. The study will enable land managers to identify areas that are most vulnerable to changes in piñon-juniper woodland structure and composition. Researchers will work with K-12 schools to teach students about the scientific process, mentor undergraduate students on independent research projects, and incorporate results into a module for an undergraduate course.