Dr. Jennifer Funk - Rooted in resilience: Leveraging plant traits to combat climate change
Overview
Climate change is altering temperature and precipitation patterns in many parts of the world, leading to increased variability and more frequent drought events. These changes are impacting plant communities, affecting their productivity, species composition, and ecosystem functions, which in turn influences how we manage and restore landscapes to create resilient habitats for the future. In this seminar, I will discuss the connections between plant functional traits and growth strategies, with a particular focus on how these traits influence drought response across and within species. I will then explore how we can harness this knowledge to design and restore plant communities that are resilient to drought while simultaneously supporting critical ecosystem services.
Bio
Jennifer Funk is a Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis. Her research focuses on understanding the functional traits and ecological strategies of plants in diverse ecosystems. Her research spans a range of habitats, from arid shrublands to tropical forests, and employs a combination of field observations, experiments, and modeling approaches. A key aspect of her research is exploring how plant functional traits contribute to species' responses to global change factors, such as drought, invasive species, grazing, and fire. By unraveling the complex relationships between plant traits and environmental conditions, this research provides insights for predicting and managing the impacts of global change on plant communities and the services they provide. Her findings have important implications for conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of ecosystems in the face of rapid environmental change.