The Tree-Rings, Forests, and the Climate Crisis team is looking to enroll students for course credit in the Spring 2026 semester. Paid opportunities may be available on a case-by-case basis.
In this VIP, we aim to better quantify and predict the feedback between forests and climate. Forests are affected by climate variability and change. At the same time, forests play an important role in the global carbon cycle and have been slowing global warming by removing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (via photosynthesis).
Tree rings are a powerful way to quantify both sides of this feedback between forests and climate, so we work to create and analyze spatial networks of tree-ring data, especially in collaboration with the US Forest Service. By integrating tree-ring and forest inventory data, we can better understand and predict future tree growth, using an approach known as ecological forecasting. Ultimately, our goal is to advance the science underlying “nature-based climate solutions” (NbCS), specifically NbCS relying on forests of the United States and beyond.
For more information about this team, please visit: https://uavip.arizona.edu/teams/environment-and-resilience-teams/tree-rings-forests-and-climate-crisis
