“Climate Change and Drought Extremes: A Critical Perspective from Ancient Trees in California” presented by Daniel Griffin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Geography, University of Minnesota

How is extreme drought in California connected to climate change and human activities? What can be learned about past and future climate using tree rings from old growth forests in California? Dr Griffin, a dendrochronologist (scientist who studies tree rings) connects the dots between humans, climate change, extreme drought, and native plants in the Golden State.

An online talk presented as part of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s 2022 Summer Virtual Lecture Series which addresses biodiversity, climate change, and California native plants and animals. Registration is $12 for the public and $10 for Garden members. Once registered, participants receive an email with Zoom link.

Daniel Griffin studies the variability of past climate, contemporary climate change, and the climate-modulated coupling of ecosystem processes, often through the development and interpretation of high quality tree ring data. Work in his lab group at the University of Minnesota is field-based, student centered, and highly collaborative. Their efforts have been supported by research grants from the U.S. National Science Foundation and other funding sources.

Current projects are focused on hydroclimate in California and the upper Midwest, and on developing sustainable technologies to achieve open science standards in dendrochronology. He participates in climate services for improved adaptation capacity, and have long been interested in catalyzing connections between field-based research and decision making in natural resources management.