The Geography and Dynamics of Forest Invasion, Montana

这项提案将绘制和测量蒙大拿州麦迪逊山脉西坡林线海拔较低的草原上针叶树入侵的速度和时间。针叶树入侵是最近出现的一种现象，与过度放牧、牧场退化、火灾扑灭以及在降雨量高于平均水平的年份针叶树种子丰收有关。模拟和理解人类土地利用与针叶树入侵的物理原因之间的关系将增加我们对生态系统动力学的总体理解，更具体地说，人类对高寒地区植被演替的影响。调查人员将模拟和解释的变化对该地区的物种多样性以及牧场政策和管理具有重大影响。

This proposal will map and measure the rates and timing of conifer invasion of grasslands at lower timberline elevations along the western slope of the Madison Range in Montana. Conifer invasion is a recent phenomenon related to overgrazing, range deterioration, fire suppression, and good conifer seed crops in years of above-average precipitation. Modelling and understanding the relationships between human land use and the physical causes of conifer invasion will increase our understanding of ecosystem dynamics generally, and human impacts on vegetational succession in alpine regions more specifically. The changes that will be modelled and explained by the investigators have major implication for species diversity in the region as well as for rangeland policy and managment.