Ecosystem Science Division
Regional and global disturbances research
Natural processes, such as wildfires and windstorms, and human activities, such as deforestation and changes in land use, alter ecosystems and landscapes. At CIRES, we explore the effects these disturbances have on the structure and function of ecosystems. Toward this goal, we're developing quantitative methods that link spatial patterns and ecological processes over time. Our investigations have spanned the biogeochemical dynamics of woody plant encroachment in the U.S. Southwest, the ecological effects of habitat fragmentation due to urbanization, and ecological response to multiple disturbances in forest ecosystems. We're working to understand the scale and pace of these changes in terms of their influence on ecosystem health and sustainability.
