Alex Goke

Email: atgoke<at>wisc.edu

Conifers inhabit some of the most extreme climate regions of the globe illustrating their immense physiological adaptations to support the greatest known extents of tree growth. In these environments, strong directional selection is thought to reduce plasticity and restrict a species ability to acclimate to multiple biotic stressors, such as combined shade and drought. My research focuses on identifying the physiological adaptations underpinning diverse drought and shade tolerances in conifers with an aim towards understanding how shifting environmental conditions may disrupt historical regeneration dynamics based on contrasting drought-shade strategies of co-occurring species.