Lisa J. Graumlich

Associate Professor, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, The University of Arizona
and
Deputy Director and Director of the Earth Learning Center, Biosphere 2 Center

My research and teaching focus on the interaction of climatic variation, ecological processes, and social factors in governing change in mountainous regions. Besides being areas where global environmental changes are often strongly registered, my interest in mountain environments is based on the belief that the scientific study of mountain zones should include an assessment of their ability to provide critical ecological goods and services under increasing local and extra-regional demand.

My scholarly work focuses on two questions:

• How can we assess and predict the vulnerability vs. resilience of montane forest zones to climate and human-induced changes?
• How can we better utilize such increasingly sophisticated technical tools as GIS and internet resources to foster critical thinking about natural resource issues by students, decision makers, and the general public?

My research in the montane forests of the Sierra Nevada has centered on understanding the interaction between climatic variation, life history factors, and plant population in governing the position and structure of ecotones. By developing independent records of both climatic variation and ecotone position that extend back 3500+ years, I have demonstrated how climatic events can rapidly alter ecotonal forests.

1 to 4 Key Photographs / Figures (such as these):

Lisa J. Graumlich Deputy Director and Director of the Earth Learning Center Biosphere 2 Center 32450 S. Biosphere Road P.O. Box 689 Oracle, AZ 85623 520/896-5016 520/896-6429 FAX email: lgraumlich@bio2.edu

Related Links:

Biosphere 2 Center

The University of Arizona
Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research
Personal Home Page

Institute for the Study of Planet Earth
Personal Page from ISPE's Guidebook to Global Change at the University of Arizona

Selected Publications:

Graumlich, L.J. 1993. A 1000-year record of temperature and precipitation in the Sierra Nevada. Quaternary Research 39: 249-255.

Graumlich, L.J. and A.H. Lloyd. 1996. Dendroclimatic, ecological and geomorphological evidence for long-term climatic change in the Sierra Nevada, U.S.A. In: J.S. Dean et al. eds., Tree Rings, Environment, and Humanity. Radiocarbon, Tucson.

Lloyd, A.H. and L.J. Graumlich. 1997. Holocene dynamics of treeline forests in the Sierra Nevada. Ecology 78: 1199-1210.

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