Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

New feature: Responsible logging can help northeastern US forests adapt to climate change Eastern forests are responsible for 85% of all the carbon taken up by US forests. But they are becoming increasingly stressed by warming temperatures, which can slow their growth and reproduction. How can forest managers maintain the eastern forest carbon sink under these changing conditions? A recent study in Ecosystems by researchers at Cary and the U of Wyoming shares optimistic findings: Responsible logging can allow warm-adapted trees to move into northeastern forests, boosting #ClimateResilience and protecting carbon storage at the same time. “It was comforting to learn that eastern forests, which hold the most carbon in the US, are actually doing okay,” said lead author Sara Germain. “With moderate, status quo levels of disturbance, eastern forests have the capacity to remain an important carbon sink.” But, the authors emphasize, in order to preserve biodiversity, we should preserve cold-adapted native trees in some places, too. https://lnkd.in/g57W7ruF

Today at 4pm ET - learn more about the Western Fire & Forest Resilience Collaborative, a research program led by Cary's Winslow Hansen that working to accelerate scientific discoveries that enhance forest resilience and wildfire decision making.

If you live in the Northeast, you’ve likely noticed less snow accumulation in recent winters. What’s behind the shrinking snowpack — less snowfall, or more melting? A new paper led by Cary Institute researcher Geoff Wilson draws on more than 50 years of data at Hubbard Brook to find an answer. “Way before anyone was thinking about the climate changing, researchers were out there measuring snow weekly — since 1956, in some cases,” said Wilson. "Snow is important culturally and economically to my community, and the rich datasets at Hubbard Brook enabled us to get a clearer picture of the ways the snow season is changing as winters get warmer.” Hubbard Brook Research Foundation https://lnkd.in/eAEzWP7w

On Friday, March 14 at 7pm ET, join us for a special lecture by?Dr. Angelica Patterson, a plant ecophysiologist and science communicator from Mount Holyoke College. She will explore how climate-induced shifts in the tree species that make up northeastern forests may impact their carbon storage potential, and how we can mitigate these changes. As northeastern forests recover from a history of agriculture and timber harvesting, they have become one of the world’s fastest-growing carbon sinks. By locking up carbon in their wood, the trees that make up these forests are allies in the fight against climate change. But warming temperatures are leading to shifts in the tree species that make up these forests, as some slowly migrate northward in search of cooler conditions. Patterson will discuss her research on how different tree species are responding to warming temperatures, which are most tolerant, competing stressors, and what this means for future carbon storage. Her work has revealed that resident trees (such as Northern red oak and red maple) may have a physiological disadvantage compared with their migrant counterparts (such as pignut hickory and American sycamore), and are at risk of being replaced due to this and other ecological factors.? ? This event is free and open to all. There will be time for audience Q&A following the presentation. Registration is required; there are separate signups for in-person seating in our Millbrook, NY auditorium and virtual access via live stream. For more information and to register: https://lnkd.in/e5Fj5rBS

Many migratory songbirds rely on the forests of the Catskills High Peaks as a breeding ground. However, off-trail hiking — aka bushwhacking — may be disturbing these habitats. Andres Barragan, a Catskill Science Collaborative Fellow and @SUNYNewPaltz student,?spent last summer doing bird surveys to measure these impacts. Read more about his incredible experience in his blog post: https://lnkd.in/ectHhiS9

Seeking instructors + junior instructors for our Eco-Discovery day camps! Positions run 6-8 weeks, starting on or after June 30, with 1-2 weeks of prep in earlier June. Camp activities include ecology investigations in streams, forests, ponds and fields, games, arts and crafts, and hiking on our 2000-acre property in NY’s Hudson Valley. This year's theme: Micro-worlds. Job info: https://lnkd.in/d3GPYQW Camp info: https://lnkd.in/eBs2Wjs8 #hudsonvalley #campinstructor #ecology #ecojobs

#jobopportunity Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is accepting applications for three seasonal positions entailing 6-8 weeks of camp instruction (40 hours/week) starting on or after June 30, with 1-2 weeks earlier in June to help plan and prepare for camp. We host 9 weeks of camp starting June 30 and concluding on August 29. The first session is 4 days (June 30-July 3); the other sessions are 5 full days. We allow instructors some flexibility in selecting their weeks. Instructors will work with the Education Program Leader to implement all aspects of the Cary Institute Summer Ecology Day Camp for children in grades 2-8. Camp activities include ecology investigations in streams, forests, ponds and fields, games, arts and crafts, and hiking on our 2000-acre property in New York’s Hudson Valley. We are also accepting applications for two seasonal Junior Instructor positions. For more information on all positions and to apply visit: https://lnkd.in/e9DPtjwb #hudsonvalley #campinstructor #ecology

On Friday, February 21 at 7pm, take a virtual trip to the tropics with Cary Institute scientist Dr. Evan Gora, a forest ecologist exploring the fate of some of the world’s largest trees. Gora is also a Fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Tropical forests like the Amazon store vast amounts of carbon in the trunks, branches, and roots of their trees. Over half of this carbon is locked up in the largest 1% of trees. These giants, which can live for hundreds to thousands of years and grow to massive heights, play an outsized role in mitigating climate change. When giants die, we lose the rich biodiversity they support, and the carbon they store is released back into the atmosphere. Understanding their fate, at a time when tropical trees are dying at an increasing rate, is critical. Gora is co-leading Gigante, a project exploring when, where, and why giant tropical trees die. Using forest forensics, drones, and computing, he is working with an international team to monitor the fate of trees in large-scale plots across four countries on three continents: Panama, Brazil, Cameroon, and Malaysia. By understanding what is killing giant trees, the Gigante team is developing a clearer picture of which tree species are best at surviving major stresses like lightning, wind, drought, and disease. This information is vital to tropical forest conservation and restoration. Gigante collaborators include Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amaz?nia, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and the University of Leeds. This event is free and open to all. There will be time for audience Q&A following the presentation. Registration is required. For more information and to register visit https://lnkd.in/eF5xZVh4

Western Fire & Forest Resilience Collaborative collaborators Park Williams, Alex Hall, and colleagues share insights into the role that climate change played in the devastating Los Angeles fires. #LAFires UCLA #WildfireResilience https://lnkd.in/gaBcRzTZ

On Jan 22 Cary's Jazlynn Hall will be a panelist in this Climate & Wildfire Institute webinar on how artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming simulation and modeling tools, to better understand, predict, and respond to wildfires. RSVP: https://lnkd.in/e_mQ6sv8