The UCSC Forest Ecology Research Plot (FERP) contributed data on tree fecundity – seed production – to a continent-wide assessment of how climate affects tree growth and reproduction, and the implications that has for forests into the future.  Written by a large team comprising the MASTIF network led by Jim Clark at Duke University, this is a great example of the value of long-term monitoring of forest ecosystems, including the collection of phenology data. All of the data at the UCSC FERP, which is located on the UCSC Campus Natural Reserve, were collected by student interns as part of experiential learning opportunities in forest ecology.  The results of the paper highlight a continental divide with climate and growth interactions leading to decreased fecundity on the west coast, but increased fecundity on the East Coast.

Clark, J.S. + 62 others.  2021. Continent-wide tree fecundity driven by indirect climate effects. Nature Communications. 12(1):1242 doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20836-3.

Check out the news release here.

And the story in Santa Cruz Good Times.