June 17th from 3pm to 4pm ET
At the upper elevations of Saguaro National Park, aspen and Chihuahua pine persist under starkly different ecological strategies—one moisture-dependent, the other adapted to fire and drought. This presentation draws on tree-ring data and climate-driven growth simulations to examine how these species have responded to past climate variability and what their trajectories may look like under hotter, drier conditions. The results reveal patterns of species-specific resilience and provide actionable insight for climate-adaptive management in this iconic desert sky island.
Presenters: Gabrielle Ayres, Erin Todd, and Peter Fulé with Northern Arizona University School of Forestry, Alicia Azpeleta Tarancón – Mediterranean Ecogeomorphological and Hydrological Connectivity Research Team with University of the Balearic Islands, and Will Flatley – Department of Geography with the University of Central Arkansas.
