Tree-Ring Talk

Silent Testimony Art Exhibit

Tree Ring Talk

Tree Ring Talk

Upper Rio Grande streamflow and runoff efficiency: analyses of instrumental data provide insights for tree-ring reconstructions

How to engage with Southwest Fire Science Consortium—your friendly regional wildland fire resource hub

The Southwest is defined by its striking landscapes, stretching from the Sonoran Desert to pine forests, grasslands, and woodlands. These iconic places are rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage, and they inspire the American imagination. These landscapes are increasingly impacted by climate change and drought, altered fire regimes, invasive species, shifting patterns of human use and expansion of the wildland–urban interface, and political volatility that affect funding and priorities.

On crossdating ecological tree-ring collections: how to hold on loosely while not letting go

Ecological studies of semi-arid forests have had a strong influence on my research in eastern US temperate, mesic forests. Findings on the synchronicity of tree growth, forest dynamics, and climate in these muddier forests have pushed us to reconsider the theory of forest development. The potential for discerning synchrony in these forests, if it exists at all, is likely muddied due to climate, species diversity, and a greater forest density. The continually-surprising challenge is the crossdating of ecological collections in temperate, mesic forests.

Tree Ring Talk

How dendroseismology can help overcome effects of authoritarian periods on historical earthquake records: the case of Italy and Turkey (1900–1945)

Periods of authoritarianism can significantly influence historical records about earthquakes and other natural disasters, especially by means of propaganda, censorship, and regime-associated turmoil. Resulting distortions in catalog data endanger the reliability of seismic hazard models and risk policy, especially when degrees of bias and incompleteness are not well understood. However, the need for time depth makes the careful use of historical baselines critical nonetheless.

Being a more strategic, evidence-based science communicator

Building on his book Strategic Science Communication, John will share ideas about how to think more strategically about communication efforts. He will focus in particular on the importance of ensuring that all communication choices begin with a clear understanding of what you want your audience to consider doing as a result of the communication (i.e., identifying “behavioral goals”).

Past climates of the Rocky Mountains: Cave speleothems reveal changing drought patterns through time

Speleothems are cave minerals that preserve signals of past climate in their geochemical composition. In the western United States (US), speleothem-based climate reconstructions can provide valuable insight into the long-term evolution of modern drought patterns that impact agriculture, ecosystems, and human communities today. The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) are key drivers of cool-season precipitation variability and drought in the western US, including the Rocky Mountains.

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