Blair McLaughlin, PhD
Associate Researcher, Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, UC Santa Cruz
Co-Director, Conservation Science & Stewardship Lab
I am a climate change adaptation scientist working to understand how California's foundational tree species are responding to increasing drought and a warming climate — and how we can help them thrive into the future.
My work is grounded in the belief that science and stewardship belong together. I spend time outside surveying trees, in the lab analyzing data, and at the table with ranchers, Tribal land stewards, and conservation agencies who are making decisions about California's landscapes.
I am an Associate Researcher in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz where I co-direct the Conservation Science and Stewardship Lab with Dr. Erika Zavaleta.
Research focusMy research centers on how classic ecological theory can help develop effective climate change adaptation strategies. I study the foundational tree species endemic to the global biodiversity hotspot of California. These trees exist nowhere else on Earth and underpin entire ecosystems.
They are also under increasing pressure. My team's research draws on field surveys, remotely sensed data, landscape genomics, predictive modeling, and consultations with land stewards, to understand how these species are responding to climate change, which populations are most at risk, and where opportunities for conservation exist.
The climatic changes coming for California's woodlands and forests are not distant threats, they are already underway. Many iconic species are projected to lose the majority of their suitable habitat by the end of the century. This means that we need to look forward and invest now in conservation strategies that will lay the groundwork for the best possible future.
Partnerships & collaboratorsMuch of my work happens through partnerships with people who are on the land every day, and with academics across the biological and social sciences.
Background Download CV →I have nearly two decades of experience working on climate change in US Western woodlands and forests, spanning monitoring, physiology, genomics, and conservation. I bring a background in anthropology to my ecological work and value different kinds of knowledge.