Humans have unintentionally facilitated a number of species becoming established outside of their native ranges, a phenomenon termed “unmanaged relocation.” Although typically viewed as a negative anthropogenic impact, this unmanaged relocation could prove vital to a species’ ability to shift their ranges in response to climate change. To assess the importance of the relationship between unmanaged relocation and climate, Morgan will examine a sample group of twelve species of trees that are native to the eastern United States but have naturalized populations in New England.

Advisor: Dov Sax (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society)