I call California home, but have now lived in 7 US states - Utah is one of my favorites! Over the years I have received a BS in Plant Biology from UC Davis and a MS in Forest Ecology from Oregon State University. As a PhD student in the Anderegg Lab I am investigating within species variation and plasticity of drought response traits in southwestern tree species. My Covid19 hobbies include brewing beer, baking with sourdough, and hiking Utah peaks to burn off the extra carbs.
Climate change is anticipated to affect southwestern forests, particularly through elevated temperatures and decreased precipitation. Trees that cannot acclimate to climate change will likely suffer reductions in fitness and survival. I am investigating acclimation potential in aspen (Populus tremuloides) within the San Juan National Forest in Colorado by quantifying physiological responses (xylem tension, leaf area-to-sapwood area ratio, hydraulic conductivity, turgor loss point) between the low, middle, and high elevation limits, and across different climatic years: average precipitation (2014), severe drought (2018), and above-average wet (2019).
Xylem tensions indicate that aspen were most stressed in dry 2018 and least stressed in wet 2019. Surprisingly, aspen had more leaf area (increased leaf area-to-sapwood area ratio) during 2018, due to a warmer spring and advanced phenology or lagged preceding winter hydrological effects. Hydraulic conductivity was negatively affected by the 2018 drought, but all trees were able to recover and avoid lasting hydraulic damage. Turgor loss point showed strong plasticity, and appears to be an important trait for driving increased drought tolerance in low elevation aspen. Overall, I find evidence of acclimation potential in these aspen supported by substantial temporal variation in physiological responses, which suggests these trees can adjust to environmental change.