Enhancing the Merriam-Powell Research Station to support climatic change research and education

Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ

Investigators

Abstract

Northern Arizona University is awarded a grant to enhance opportunities for experimental and observational field research on climate change and the population and ecosystem impacts of climate change at the Merriam-Powell Research Station (MPRS). MPRS is jointly operated with The Arboretum at Flagstaff, where it is located. Improvements will: 1) make available common garden research space with water, 2) make data collection from weather stations on elevation gradient research sites more reliable, and 3) improve data collection from flux towers in three forest stands under different management treatments. Understanding climate change and what can be done to mitigate for climate change impacts is one of the major scientific challenges of our time. This is especially important in the American Southwest, which is currently 12 years into a record drought that is producing vegetation shifts among the most severe in North America. The project will enhance the infrastructure for climate change research at three multi-user research sites. The first site is a set of five research areas along an elevation gradient used for monitoring climate change impacts and for manipulative experiments. The second site is a set of three eddy flux tower sites that are being used to examine how forest management influences carbon balance. The third site is a set of common gardens to be used for climate change and restoration research. Common gardens will focus on the genetics of climate change (i.e., which genotypes and source populations do best), and the consequences of climate change for biodiversity, community structure and ecosystem function. Results from this research will be critical for management decisions for the regions large tracts of public land and will enhance outreach programming offered jointly by MPRS and The Arboretum. MPRS's ability to offer high quality undergraduate research experiences, such as the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program geared towards Tribal and Community Colleges, will be enhanced by these improvements. A course at NAU on "Climate Change Effects on Forest Ecology" will have distance learning and field experience components and will accommodate both educators pursuing masters degrees and undergraduates in the sciences. An undergraduate with strong interests in math and biology will receive continued training as an assistant on setting up data management systems to serve researchers.