The unknown on the edge; mountain ecosystem ecology and change Event
- Time:
- 13:00
- Date:
- 29 November 2017
- Venue:
- Life Sciences Building 85, Room 2207, Highfield Campus
For more information regarding this event, please telephone Selina Barry on 023 80 59 4794 .
Event details
Biological Sciences Invited Speaker Programme 2017-18
Abstract: Mountain ecosystems provide strong environmental gradients due to their topographical nature, and these gradients drive variance in ecological systems, some visible, many not. Whilst we have a reasonable grasp of plant community assembly across these systems, the state of belowground function, and the sensitivity of the microbial community to change is poorly reconciled. In the context of land use and climate change, gauging this sensitivity is key to assessing the sustainability of mountain ecosystems. I will explore some of the major issues in mountain ecosystem ecology, highlighting the knowledge gaps, and ways forward. I will discuss some of the underappreciated facets of these unique ecosystems, and how my own work, and that of colleagues, hopes to inform on the sustainability of mountain soils, with a special focus on snow and winter ecology.
Speaker information
Dr Robert Mills , Lancaster University, Lancaster Environment Centre.