Alpine Plants: Their Adaptations & Use as Biological Indicators of Climate Change

Dr. Jim Bishop 

California and Nevada Region of the GLORIA project 

Since 2004, Dr. Bishop has been an active participant in a project called GLORIA (Global Observation Research In Alpine Environments). The program is run completely by volunteers, who monitor plant growth at alpine zones around the world. Alpine zones are defined as areas in high elevations above the upper limit of tree growth, or the tree line. The monitoring is done with two goals: 1) to learn how plants adapt in order to survive in a harsh environment; and 2) to see how plants respond to climate change in that environment. Dr. Bishop examines the factors that limit growth above the tree line, and postulates that if the climate warms, the higher elevations will become more favorable environments and gradually inhabitable by a wider variety of plants. 

A special message from Dr. Bishop: “Volunteers do much of the field work and are always appreciated.  GLORIA data may be of some use to students and faculty.  For more information please contact Adelia Barber at the address given on our GLORIA California website http://www.gloriacalifornia.org/.” 

View/Download Transcript 

Recorded: November 1, 2013