ABSTRACT

Climate change is our new reality. Increasing temperatures have led to warmer winters, with significant impacts on native plants and animals. Spring now comes earlier, inducing changes in the timing of critical life stages in native plants and the species with which they interact. To the detriment of native plants, warmer winters have increased overwintering survival in many herbivores as well as in invasive plant species. Increased winter temperatures have also led to range expansion in several key pests of important forest trees. These diverse effects of climate change will continue to alter native plant communities. On a practical level, it will be useful to consider the varied effects of climate change when using native plants in landscape designs.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Sara Via is Professor of Biology and Entomology at UMD, College Park, and is interested in the effects of climate change on agriculture and home gardening, biodiversity, and human health. In association with the University of Maryland Extension and the Maryland Master Gardeners, Sara works with community groups, high schools and universities to increase awareness of the scientific reality of climate change and to motivate effective action to curb its rapid progression.