Going to Extremes at HBEF

There is growing concern that the frequency and severity of extreme weather events are increasing under the changing climate.

Scientists continue to study the impacts these extreme weather events can have on natural and managed ecosystems. Progress has been made in understanding the impacts of gradual changes in temperature and rainfall on forest systems. However, much less is known about the consequences of extreme weather events. This is because extreme events are unpredictable in time and space, which makes them very difficult to study.  A team of scientists at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF) are taking on this research challenge. They are learning the effects of extreme weather are often equal to or greater than the more gradual shifts in temperature and rainfall patterns associated with climate change.

In this virtual tour, explore three types of extreme weather that occur in the Northeast: ice storms, drought, and warming. Learn about the impacts these extreme events are having on northern hardwood forest ecosystems and what you can do to help make your forests more resilient in a changing climate. And don’t forget to look up!

Available resources from this tour: