A lecture by Assoc. Professor Andreas Hamann from the Uiversity of Alberta, Canada
Abstract: Human-aided movement of species in large scale reforestation programs could be a powerful and cost effective climate change adaptation strategy. Such large-scale management interventions, however, tend to entail the risks of unintended consequences, and several conditions should be met before implementing assisted migration in reforestation programs: (1) evidence of a climate-related adaptational lag, (2) observed biological impacts linked to observed climate trends, and (3) robust model projections to target assisted migration efforts. In western Canada, data generally supports assisted migration prescriptions, and the risk of inaction likely exceeds the risk associated with changing established management practices.
Biography: Primary field of research is climate change and ecological genetics of forest trees. MSc: State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse; PhD: University of British Columbia; Joined the University of Alberta, Department of Renewable Resources in 2005, where he currently is Associate Professor and Associate Chair Research; received an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship in 2011 for collaborative research with the University of Freiburg; received a Fulbright Fellowship in 2012 for collaborative research with the University of California, Berkeley.
Selected publications: http://www.ualberta.ca/~ahamann/publications.html