IGN 6
Crossing the Line - An Interdisciplinary Trip Through Climate Change Research at the Treeline Ecotone

Tuesday, August 6, 2013: 1:30 PM-3:30 PM
101H, Minneapolis Convention Center
Organizer:
Melanie A. Harsch, University of Washington
Moderator:
Steven Mamet, University of Saskatchewan
The treeline ecotone is a complex system comprised of multiple interactions that serves as a potential bellweather for responses of marginal ecosystems to climate change. For this reason, treeline ecotones have served as a focal system for disciplines across the natural sciences, globally. Recent significant advances in treeline ecotone research have influenced climate change research beyond the treeline ecotone, but further advances will rely on cross-disciplinary integration of theoretical and methodological approaches. This session brings together ecologists, ecosystem scientists, geographers, ecophysiologists, and hydrologists to solidify our understanding of treeline dynamics across domains of time and space. The speakers will provide a dynamic overview of their research that will link across disciplines to provide a holistic understanding to treeline ecotone research. By bringing together scientists working on a similar system from divergent backgrounds, we provide the opportunity for cross-disciplinary communication that, with guided post-seminar questions, will bridge a path forward. The session will be divided into three sections. A single talk will introduce the breadth of treeline research and applications beyond the treeline. The seven "Foundation" talks, will highlight significant advances in ecology, geography, ecophysiology, ecosystem science, and hydrology. Two speakers will identify paths forward in the “Ways Forward” section. The first speaker will present a case study on an international collaborative treeline experiment. The second speaker will summarize the session and explain how the North American Treeline Network (NATN) provides a path forward by bringing together scientists across disciplines to prioritize research initiatives and build collaborations.
 Treeline research - what's in it for me?
Melanie A. Harsch, University of Washington
 What allows diffuse treelines to respond to regional warming? The role of boundary layer micrometeorology
Miroslav Kummel, Colorado College; Chris Dickson, Colorado College; Mike Taber, Colorado College
 What experiments can (and can’t) tell us about climate change impacts at treeline
Lara Kueppers, University of California Merced; Matthew J. Germino, US Geological Survey
 The role of biotic interactions at alpine treeline
Janneke Hille Ris Lambers, University of Washington; Kevin R. Ford, University of Washington; Melanie A. Harsch, University of Washington
 Can ecophysiology link pattern to process or molecules to landscapes for the study of treeline responses to climate?
Matthew J. Germino, US Geological Survey; Keith Reinhardt, Idaho State University; Lara Kueppers, University of California Merced; Andrew B. Moyes, University of California, Merced
 Moving forward - North American Treeline Network
David M. Cairns, Texas A&M University; Lara M. Kueppers, University of California, Merced; Constance I. Millar, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station
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