Grand Teton

From India, where elephants trample forest seedlings, to the Amazon, where fires threaten one of the planet’s most diverse ecosystems, researchers in the Forest Global Earth Observatory network measure forest dynamics. A new site in Wyoming’s Teton mountain range brings the total number of forests in the ForestGEO network to 85—in 29 countries. It takes a network of researchers working across national boundaries to understand forests at a planetary scale.

“Every forest is unique and responds to change differently,” said Tucker Furniss, co-founder of the new study site with Sara Germain, both University of Wyoming professors. “Our site is the first in the Rocky Mountain Ecoregion—and the first in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Trees here endure extreme cold, and grow on rocky, mountainous terrain. As the environment changes, they may be hit hard because they’re already close to their limits.”

The new site is a six-hour drive northwest from the University of Wyoming campus in Laramie, WY, but is close to the field station run by the University and the National Park Service in Grand Teton National Park. Over the past two summers, Germain, Furniss, and their team of 18 students and technicians mapped, measured, and identified more than 40,000 trees in a 25-hectare plot and five smaller satellite plots in the Teton range. Their sites span an elevational gradient from 6,500 feet to 10,000 feet, covering a range of forest types in a large landscape that is home to moose, elk, bison, wolves, and grizzly bears. 

“We spent years working in ForestGEO study sites in Yosemite National Park in California, Wind River in Washington, and Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah. Now, we feel like proud parents to have our own plot in the Tetons,” said Germain, “It’s exciting to address important knowledge gaps, and to find out more about Rocky Mountain forests and compare them with forests around the world. There’s just something special about getting to know every last tree.”

ForestGEO forest dynamics sites span the globe. Teams of biologists in North and South America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania have mapped and measured more than 7 million trees representing 12,000 species. In some of the most biologically diverse forests—in Brazil, Malaysia, Borneo, and Ecuador—there can be more than 1,000 tree species in 25 hectares. 

The new plot in the Tetons has only a few dominant tree species: 8 conifers and 8 hardwoods — and is more like other temperate sites in the US and other parts of the world. However, these upper montane forests harbor some of the oldest trees in the region. “The oldest tree we’ve cored so far was a ~1200-year-old whitebark pine,” said Germain. The site also offers striking wildlife comparisons, providing essential habitat for threatened and endangered species such as grizzly bears, Canada lynx, and the ancient whitebark pine itself.

Why study forests around the world? The idea began in tropical forests. In the 1970s, tropical biologists wanted to know how forests changed through time, but, because most trees live longer than we do, and because there were so many tree species are so rare that the only way to study enough requires larger areas—to find enough individuals of the same species, and observations for a longer time than most universities or science funding agencies are willing to pay for. 

“We’re focused on understanding what causes death in long-lived trees like whitebark pine, one of the most important species here that grows right up at treeline,” said Furniss. “This species is foundational to these fragile alpine ecosystems and is a big concern for local managers.” 

“We want to make sure that parks and protected areas are managed based on the best possible science,” said Germain, “and we want to teach the next generation of students how to do rigorous forest research that can help support managers’ efforts.”

“One of the big advantages of joining the network is the opportunity to participate in a big international data analysis workshop every year. We’re thrilled to join the network and to contribute this unique forest type to the network to help us better understand temperate forest dynamics.”

About ForestGEO

The Forest Global Earth Observatory is a global network of scientists and forest research sites dedicated to advancing long-term study of the world's forests. The network recognizes the importance of collaborating with local institutions to strengthen science capacity in an era of rapidly changing landscapes and climate to understand and predict forest dynamics.