UtSTA 2024: Out-Of-This-World Science Teaching

Earth's drylands are some of the most important ecosystems that are also some of the most understudied. They are experiencing drastic changes as a result from climate change and changes in wildfire regimes. My research program asks questions about how climate change, wildfire, and community structure interacts and determines plant community structure and function. In this session, I share results from various research projects centered in Utah's drylands, what we are learning about the state and potential transitions of these dryland plant communities, and how my team and I are using that information to create well-informed decision making tools for land managers.