This is a map of accumulated fall snow-free freezing potential (snow-free freezing degree days, SFFDD) for the Upper Gunnison domain, derived from daily minimum temperature maps interpolated from weather station and microclimate sensor data combined with Landsat-derived estimates of the timing of se

This is a map of temporal variability in accumulated spring snow-free growing potential (snow-free growing degree days, SFGDD) for the Upper Gunnison domain, derived from daily maximum air temperature maps interpolated from weather station and microclimate sensor data combined with Landsat-derived e

This is a map of temporal variability in accumulated snow-free freezing potential (freezing degree days, FDD) for the Upper Gunnison domain, derived from daily minimum temperature maps interpolated from weather station and microclimate sensor data combined with Landsat-derived estimates of the timin

This is a map of accumulated spring snow-free freezing potential (snow-free freezing degree days, SFFDD) for the Upper Gunnison domain, derived from daily minimum temperature maps interpolated from weather station and microclimate sensor data combined with Landsat-derived estimates of the timing of

Matt Reed. July 25, 2017.

Robert W. Frank. 2017.

Carly Bare, Katie Davidson, Lindsey Freeburn, Ellen Patten and Suzanne Ewy. Coldharbour Institute and Western Colorado University. May 2016.

It is with great appreciation that Coldharbour Institute would like to acknowledge your support of our organization over the past two and a half years. You have allowed us to get off the ground and work towards Butch and Judy Clark’s vision of Coldharbour Ranch as a center for sustainability studies

Anthropogenic climate change is causing increases in global average temperature, changes in seasonality, and altered precipitation patterns which are linked to upslope range shifts, population declines, and phenological changes. This study examines the impacts of climate induced changes in snowmelt

Shifting flowering phenologies as a result of climate change have the potential to disrupt plant-pollinator interactions through changes in temporal overlap of flowering and pollinator activity, decreasing plant fitness. Understanding current plant-pollinator interactions is key to predicting how pl

Observational studies of behavior provide insight into the fitness consequences of varying behavioral strategies in mammals. The behavior of golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis, GMGS), an asocial hibernating species, is constrained by the energetic demands of reproduction, p

Flowers at high elevation must deal with less than ideal conditions, both abiotic and biotic. A limiting biotic factor plants must cope with at high elevations is pollinator limitation. With increasing elevation, insect groups such as Hymenoptera decrease with abundance whereas the abundance of Dipt

Plant-fungal symbioses affect the growth and fitness of most plants on earth. Moreover, they can structure plant community composition and feedback to affect ecosystem-level properties such as carbon storage. As climate change drives species distribution shifts in plants, the fungi may or may not co

Sodium is an essential nutrient for all animals, and in terrestrial ecosystems it is often difficult for plant consumers to obtain the necessary amount of Na since plants generally do not prosper in high salt environments. While carnivores get adequate salt due to bioaccumulation from their prey, he

Pieris macdunnoughii, a butterfly native to the Rock Mountains in Colorado, is a specialist on mustard plants. An invasive mustard, Thlaspi arvense, introduced approximately 100 years ago creates an evolutionary trap for P. macdunnoughii due to the chemical signals that encourage ovipositioning, but

Gene flow in hybrid zones acts as a barrier to speciation, yet we still see cases in which separate hybridizing species are maintained. Selection for different floral traits at each end of a hybrid zone by pollinators and for different vegetative traits by environmental gradients are two possible so

Plants are known to regulate their leaf temperature, undergoing limited homeothermy. This may advantageous as it allows plants to utilize important photosynthetic and respiratory enzymes. We studied which traits affect a plant’s ability to regulate their temperature across highly variable air temper

Parasites have only recently gained the attention they deserve in studies involving their role in ecosystems. Using ecological stoichiometry will allow parasite roles to be established. I attempted to establish parasite effects on hosts by measuring the excretion Nitrogen:Phosphorus of infected Mega

Overwinter survival and cold tolerance are complex quantitative traits that are important in understanding adaptation to different environments. I evaluated 422 genotypes of Boechera stricta, originating form different geographic locations and elevations, in a common garden genome wide association s

The capabilities of remote sensing technology are advancing rapidly, and with it, the applications of those technologies are also advancing. Indices such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) have long been used to determine vegetative health, but no direct measurements have been made to