Dr. Angelica Patterson will explore how climate-induced shifts in the tree species that make up northeastern forests may impact their carbon storage potential, and how we can mitigate these changes.

As northeastern forests recover from a history of agriculture and timber harvesting, they have become one of the world’s fastest-growing carbon sinks. By locking up carbon in their wood, the trees that make up these forests are allies in the fight against climate change. But warming temperatures are leading to shifts in the tree species that make up these forests, as some slowly migrate northward in search of cooler conditions.

Patterson will discuss her research on how different tree species are responding to warming temperatures, which are most tolerant, competing stressors, and what this means for future carbon storage. Her work has revealed that resident trees (such as Northern red oak and red maple) may have a physiological disadvantage compared with their migrant counterparts (such as pignut hickory and American sycamore), and are at risk of being replaced due to this and other ecological factors.

Patterson is Curator of Education and Outreach for Mount Holyoke College's Miller Worley Center for the Environment. She has been dubbed the “The Shotgun Scientist” for a method she uses to research how trees respond to climate change. Patterson received her bachelor’s from Cornell University and her master’s and doctorate degrees from Columbia University. She is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the environmental sciences.

This event is free and open to all. There will be time for audience Q&A following the presentation. Registration is required; there are separate signups for in-person seating in our Millbrook, NY auditorium and virtual access via live stream.

For more information about Dr. Patterson and her work, visit her on X @ColorfulSciGirl or at www.theshotgunscientist.com.

This event is hosted by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, an independent non-profit that supports basic environmental research with the potential for transformative impact.

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 Can’t make it to this event? Check out similar MyWoodlot content here: Climate Change and My Woods