BIOLOGY SEMINAR
PROMOTION LECTURE
4:00 PM SEMINAR
PHYSICS/ASTRONOMY AUD. A102
REFRESHMENTS IN FOYER 3:45 PM
AND FOLLOWING SEMINAR
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
“The Impacts of Global Warming on Pacific
Northwestern Conifers”
Dr. Janneke
Hille Ris Lambers
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
University of Washington
Humans have become the dominant ecological force on Earth – we are warming the
planet, moving species beyond their historic ranges, polluting and fragmenting habitats,
and ultimately, driving one of the largest mass extinction events in Earths history. How
will these large perturbations influence the organisms with which we share our planet?
Research in my lab is motivated by this broad question. I will present recent results from
an ongoing study at Mount Rainier National Park, where my lab is investigating the
effects of global warming on Pacific Northwestern conifers. Ecological theory predicts
that the distribution of these tree species should move polewards and uphill (i.e. range
shifts), if climatic factors determine their range limits. I will show that although climate
plays an important role in constraining current distributions, biotic interactions and
limited migration potential also influence how and whether focal species will respond to
global warming. More generally, I will use these (and other) research in my lab to
demonstrate that predicting the biological impacts of anthropogenic global change
requires a fundamental understanding of the processes that structure ecological
communities.
Host: Ray Huey
To request disability accommodations, contact the Disability Services Office at least 10 days in advance of the event.
206-543-6450 OR dso@u.washington.edu