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从上一次冰盛期到现在的气候影响是如何变化的。塞拉利昂峰顶目前将东部的旱地植被与西部的中生森林植被分开。在最后一次冰川时代，边界并不那么尖锐；塞拉利昂的两个斜坡上的植被都是相似的。该项目将研究植被变化的时间，并试图确定是什么降水和温度变化的组合导致了记录在案的植被模式的变化。这项研究的结果将增加我们对气候和植被变化过程以及区域变化与全球变化关系的理解。

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.