Plant & Microbial Biology
College of Biological Sciences
Twin Cities
Award Year
2026
University Award
Distinguished McKnight University Professors
Unravelling Mysteries of the Tropical Dry Forest Biome Across Human-Dominated Landscapes and into New Climates
Tropical forests are among the world’s most important reservoirs of biodiversity and carbon storage. The Powers Lab uses integrative and interdisciplinary methods to understand reciprocal feedbacks between tropical forests and climate, and how these processes are mediated by soil variability, land-use change, and biodiversity. This international research program is helping to better represent how human activities affect tropical forests and to design more effective approaches to preserving and restoring tropical forests.