Understanding Forest Ecosystems

by Harrison Tasoff, UC Santa Barbara
April 12, 2022

For centuries forests represented the unknown: places of mystery where fairies and spirits dwelt and the mark of civilization was ne’er felt. But we’ve come to realize that forests are vibrant ecosystems that support an array of plants, fungi and wildlife. And far from being primeval, woodlands are quite susceptible to human activity.

UC Santa Barbara’s Anna Trugman is among the scientists who has dedicated her career to unravelling the secrets of forests and understanding how they might respond to a changing environment. The assistant professor has been named a 2022-2026 early career fellow by the Ecological Society of America (ESA) for her work elucidating how sylvan ecosystems respond to climate change.

Early career fellows are researchers recognized by ESA as having furthered ecological knowledge and applications within eight years of completing their doctoral training, and who show promise of continuing to make outstanding contributions to a wide range of fields served by the society. They are elected for five years.

“I’m very humbled and honored to be awarded as an ESA early career fellow,” Trugman said. “It’s a really impressive list of peers to be among.”

Keep reading: https://www.news.ucsb.edu/2022/020604/understanding-forest-ecosystems

Read the ESA press release: https://ecologicalsocietyofamerica.org/blog/2022/04/19/ecological-society-of-america-announces-2022-award-recipients/