Research:
My research examines the questions:
 -  How do the ecological effects of climate change vary with local scale processes, and how do local scale processes affect feedbacks to the climate system?​ ​
 -  How do the processes that govern the response of ecosystems to climate change vary across fine (meters) to course (kilometers) spatial scales?​ ​

Projects:

Urban Phenology - timing of plant green-up and brown-down
The timing of the growing season for plants is changing more rapidly in urban environments than in surrounding areas.  However, there are still many questions about what local conditions drive these changes, and whether plants in different parts of an urban environment are experiencing different changes.  This research investigates these questions.  
          Funding: CU Denver - Office of Research Services; Collaborators: Ben Crawford

Nutritional Landscapes of Caribou Forage

In arctic regions, climate change may affect the quantity and quality of forage available to migratory animals, such as caribou, at different times of the year.  We are investigating how climate change is altering the forage available to the Central Arctic Caribou Herd on the North Slope of Alaska.  

         Funding: National Science Foundation; ​Collaborators: Jeff Welker (PI), Todd Brinkman, Gary Kofinas, Josh​ Leffler, Glen Liston, Joe Sexton, Don Spalinger, Stine Pedersen

Changing Phenology and Greenhouse Gases

Climate change is altering many facets of high latitude ecosystems, including the timing of ecological processes.  In this project we investigate how changes in the timing of the start of the growing season and grazing by migratory herbivores affects biogeochemical cycling in Western Alaska.

         ​Funding: National Science Foundation; ​Collaborators: Karen Beard (PI), Jeff Welker (PI),  Josh Leffler (PI)

Forest Ecology - Effects of Climate and Land Management

Forests around the globe are changing rapidly due to climate and landuse changes.  In this work we collaborated closely with the Forest Service to explore the complex issues around managing forests for carbon sequestration in a changing climate, using field data, remote sensing and ecosystem modeling.

​       Funding: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Forest Service; ​Collaborators: Jason Neff (PI), Nichole Barger (PI),  Lisa Dilling (PI), Jana Milford, Miranda Redmond

Boreal Forest Soil Biogeochemistry

Boreal forests are one of the most expansive biomes on the planet, and therefore the carbon dynamics of these ecosystem are important globally.  Here we investigate the spatial and temporal variability of carbon dynamics in complex terrain at two spatial scales in a boreal forest of interior Alaska.  

​       Funding: US Geological Survey, DOI  Youth Funding Initiative; ​Collaborators: Robert Striegl, Kimberly Wickland, Jason Neff