Out now in PNAS: "Shifting equilibria in a warming boreal forest"

Troy and Zoe Pierrat (JPL) wrote a commentary article about how climate projections of tree cover distribution will shape the future of the boreal forest. 

If the boreal forest is indeed headed for an open state, how will tree cover dynamics influence—and be influenced by—climate feedbacks? And how will this impact ecosystem services and the carbon budget of the boreal forest?

Taken together, the boreal forest’s transition to an open state has potentially large implications for climate regulation, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.

Francis and Lily present at AGU 2024

In Washington DC, at the annual American Geophysical Union Meeting - Francis Ulep presented his talk "Stressed Out? Zoom in to Investigate: High-resolution tower spectroscopy to understand crop response to water limitation" and Lily Klinek presented her poster: "Physiological Effects of Extreme Heat and High Vapor Pressure Deficit on Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) Photosynthesis"

Congrats to both!

New paper: Seasonal timing of fluorescence and photosynthetic yields at needle and canopy scales in evergreen needleleaf forests

Abstract: The seasonal timing and magnitude of photosynthesis in evergreen needleleaf forests (ENFs) has major implications for the carbon cycle and is increasingly sensitive to changing climate. Earlier spring photosynthesis can increase carbon uptake over the growing season or cause early water reserve depletion that leads to premature cessation and increased carbon loss.

Francis wins Outstanding Student Presentation Award from AGU and a Dept. fellowship!

Franics Ulep, second year PhD student in Ecology, won an Outstanding Student Presentation Award from the Biogeosciences section at the annual American Geophysical Union this year for his poster "Disentangling Plant Structure Complexities and Sun-Sensor Geometry Induced Changes in Tower-based Remote Sensing Signals". Great work Francis!

https://www.agu.org/honors/ospa/past-recipients 

Synthesis paper on evergreen forest photosynthesis published in BioScience

Evergreen needleleaf forests (ENFs) play a sizable role in the global carbon cycle, but the biological and physical controls on ENF carbon cycle feedback loops are poorly understood and difficult to measure. To address this challenge, a growing appreciation for the stress physiology of photosynthesis has inspired emerging techniques designed to detect ENF photosynthetic activity with optical signals. This Overview summarizes how fundamental plant biological and biophysical processes control the fate of photons from leaf to globe, ultimately enabling remote estimates of ENF photosynthesis.

8 Lab members present at AGU and Lily wins an award!

Francis, Lily, Erica, Chris, Mili, Mukund, Jenny and Troy all attended the annual American Geophysical Union Conference in San Fransisco last week.

Lily Klinek won an award for Outstanding Forest Ecophysiology talk! Sponsored by Licor Biosciences. Congrats Lily on an amazing talk about redwood photosynthesis from the needle to the satellite!

Check out photos here! https://magneylab.ucdavis.edu/photo-galleries/agu-2023