Poplar trees are known for their ability to grow and reproduce rapidly, even in challenging environments. From flood-prone river banks to fire-scarred mountainsides to icy boreal forests in the subarctic, poplars seem to find a way to thrive anywhere.

 

If poplars can persist in these diverse environments, are they well-prepared for the extreme environmental changes that will be brought about by climate change? To answer this question, tree biologists have  collected thousands of wild poplars from various locations across North America and planted them in large plantations  (“common gardens”) where they can be studied together.

 

Common gardens allow tree biologists to compare poplars from different locations, identify unique adaptations, and predict how these adaptations may help (or hinder) poplar trees in future climates. Join CREA alum Baxter Worthing to learn more about this research and what it may tell us about forests of the future. 

 

Baxter Worthing is a PhD student in the Plant Biology Department at the University of Vermont. Through his dissertation research, Baxter aims to predict the short and long-term effects of climate change on North American forests. He applies an interdisciplinary approach to this research, drawing on techniques from the fields of genetics, genomics (the study of an organism’s complete DNA), geography and ecology. While Baxter has studied many tree species, most of his current research focuses on poplar trees.

 

Baxter grew up in Brunswick, and attended Brunswick High School. He worked as an Environmental Youth Leader (EYL) with CREA for four summers and served on the CREA Board of Directors. Baxter received a BS and MS in Biology from Clark University in Worcester, MA.

 

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