Pacific Southwest Research Station

Research Topics

Ecosystem Processes

Nowhere is the competition for land use higher or more controversial than in the Pacific Southwest and Pacific Islands regions. Public awareness of environmental issues is higher here than in any other region of the United States, and per capita consumption of forest products is the highest in the world. Natural ecosystems and human populations are more diverse here than anywhere else in the world.

The specific goal of our research is to understand the relationhips of the many components of forest ecosystems and to further understand the influences of the current or proposed land management.

Major Research Initiatives:

Tropical Ecosystems

Sierra Nevada Ecosystems