The Department of Geography, Environment and Society Coffee Hour: Dr. Evan Larson will give a talk titled "A World in Pieces: Fragmentation and the Fundamental Influence of Landscape Structure on Forest Ecosystems." Friday, February 7th at 3:30 pm.
Abstract:
The structure of our environment is fundamentally different than at any time in the past. Roads, expanding urban and suburban boundaries, shifting patterns of agriculture, and resource extraction on massive scales have collectively produced a world covered by shattered pieces of formerly continuous ecosystems. These changes in structure are particularly evident in the forests of the world, in part because trees and the communities they compose operate at time scales far beyond the typical span of human observation. In this presentation, I will describe research I conducted in northern Sweden that used a naturally-fragmented boreal forest landscape as an analog for modern fragmented forests in order to better understand the potential implications of processes that were set in motion a century ago. While my presentation will focus on boreal forest systems, it seeks an answer to the overarching question: what have we truly done by changing the structure of our world?
The talk will be held in Blegen Hall 445 beginning at 3:30. Complimentary refreshments and coffee will be served at 3:15.
