Systems Ecology Lab

The Systems Ecology Laboratory (SEL) is focused on understanding the biocomplexity associated with environmental change and plant and ecosystem structure and function in extreme environments – namely Arctic tundra and the Chihuahuan Desert. We use a variety of plant ecological and physiological methods in combination with aerial and satellite remote sensing and Geographic Information systems (GIS) to examine and model changes in plant and ecosystem structure and function over a range of spatial and temporal scales. The SEL is also committed to maintaining long term environmental observations and improving the capacity for cross disciplinary and international cooperation in monitoring the impacts of environmental change. To facilitate the latter we are partnered to several projects described below that are developing novel internet based portal, mapping and information management systems that facilitate access to distributed information systems.