Climate change

Evaluating climate sensitivity of red pine (Pinus resinosa) in managed forests of northern Minnesota: an investigation of factors influencing responses

The objective of this study is to quantify the effects of extreme climate events (i.e., drought) on radial growth in thinned and un-thinned red pine stands.

Sawyer Scherer, UMN Forest Resources
Funding: UMN Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program

Climate change impacts at the temperate-boreal ecotone: Interactions between warming and precipitation

The objective of this project is to assess the potential for projected climate warming to alter tree species composition at the southern boreal-temperate forest ecotone by experimentally warming forest plots and documenting effects on establishment, juvenile growth and survival of tree seedlings.

Peter Reich, UMN
Sarah Hobbie, UMN
Rebecca Montgomery, UMN
Jacek Oleksyn, Polish Academy of Science
Funding: Office of Science (BER), U.S. Department of Energy, Grant No. DE-FG02-07ER64456

Climate warming of the southern boreal forest: Consequences for tree-insect interactions

The objective of this research is to investigate how climate warming will alter interactions between trees and tree-feeding insects in the southern boreal forest. 

Rick Lindroth, UW-Madison
Ken Raffa, UW-Madison
Peter Reich, UMN

International diversity experiment network with trees (functional diversity)

The objectives of this study are to determine how components of functional diversity affect ecosystem processes in forests and grasslands and to provide ecosystem managers recommendations concerning the benefits of maintaining biodiversity. 

Christian Messier, University of Quebec
Alain Paquette, University of Quebec
Dominique Gravel, University of Quebec
Alison Munson, University Laval
Bill Shipley, University of Sherbrooke
Peter Reich, UMN
Jacek Olekysn, Polish Academy of Science