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Modelling species distributions in response to climate in the Pacific Northwest.
The study
Climate affects the geographic distribution of species. In the Pacific Northwest Region, the snowpack has been significantly reduced
and the summer drought period extended since the 1970s. As a result, forests have become more susceptible to outbreaks of insects,
diseases, and fire. These disturbances are particularly acute on lands set aside as parks, wilderness areas, and conservation reserves.
We propose to evaluate how changes from historical, current, and predicted future climatic conditions might affect the ability of
a select group of tree species to produce defenses against attack by native pests, using a process-based tree growth model.
E.C. Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia. Photo courtesy of Cynthia Lu
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