Speaker: Ali Fallahmaraghi, Ph. D. Candidate at the University of Massachusetts Lowell
Abstract: During recent decades, vegetation structure, phenology, and growing season length are undergoing significant changes, altering surface energy fluxes, air temperature, runoff, drought, and wildfire risk. My research focuses on two key objectives: (1) examining the influence of direct (CO2-vegetation interactions) and indirect (climate) effects of rising carbon dioxide on high-impact climate phenomena and, (2) investigating how shifts in vegetation phenology, such as earlier spring onset and leaf-out, affect summer soil moisture, drought, heatwaves, and wildfire activity. This work advances our understanding of the physical processes that drive climate extremes, aiming to reduce vegetation-driven uncertainties in earth system models. By improving predictions of these events, we can better mitigate their impacts and enhance climate resilience.
Where: Olney 204