GEco seminar by Trond Simensen: Forests and Fire in Greater Yellowstone (US): What does the future hold?

Fire has been a key factor in shaping the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for thousands of years. Native plant species evolved adaptations so they survive and, in some cases, flourish after periodic fires. But as the climate becomes hotter and drier, the fire patterns in the boreal forests in North-West America are changing. Big and severe fires are now burning with higher frequency, and this could pose a threat to the resilience of these complex ecosystems. What does that mean for the forests of the future?

In this seminar, Trond Simensen, who has recently been a visiting scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will present research from Yellowstone and other boreal forests in the northern Rocky Mountains.