Jessica Hellmann

To preserve biodiversity and ecosystem function in the face of climate change, we will need change existing management strategies and craft new ones. This is both a scientific and a social endeavor. The first part of this talk tackles some technical issues of understanding species responses to climate change, including identifying population differences within species in climatic tolerance, some genetic underpinnings of that variation, and genetic changes in response to recent climate change. The second part of the talk explores both technical and social justifications for managed relocation and other management strategies, as suggested by related literatures and by expert opinion of scientists.

Dr. Hellmann is the director of the Institute on the Environment and a professor in the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior department at the University of Minnesota. Full bio>>. Her research focuses on environmental response to climate and other environmental changes, and how humans and ecosystems can respond and adapt to these changes. She also engages with the public to educate and implement strategic plans. Publications>>