Microclimate and conifer seedling establishment at multiple spatial scales
John Harte, Professor
Energy and Resources
Closed. This professor is continuing with Spring 2024 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Fall 2024.
Vegetation and microclimate data collected from Sierran red fir forest will be used to assess the role of environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, soil moisture) in successful establishment of conifer tree seedlings. The project will advance niche theory by examining spatially-explicit relationships between the environmental parameters and measures of seedling survival, density, and annual growth. Results will better inform efforts to model species response to projected future climates.
Role: Calibration of microclimate instrumentation will lead to a understanding of the fundamentals of microclimate measurement;
Modeling of below canopy radiation & analysis of terrestrial LiDAR data will enable acquisition of data processing and analysis techniques;
Digitization and organization of field data will develop data management skills;
Possible vegetation census field work in the spring will provide opportunity for field work.
Qualifications: Applicants need to enjoy working in a laboratory environment and be able to perform repetitive tasks with sustained accuracy. Familiarity with data processing software such as R or MatLab is desired but not essential. Enthusiasm and interest in environmental science and programming is a plus.
Hours: 6-8 hrs
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