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Lara's Spatial Ecology Lab

We address the fundamental effects of space on dynamic species-to-community interactions that govern function

Author: mjlara

My research strives to advance our understanding of how Arctic and Boreal (permafrost landscapes) ecosystems have/will respond to climate change and disturbance (permafrost degradation, wildfire, & herbivory). Ecosystem responses to such events are complicated, varying quite dramatically over space and time. Therefore, my research focuses on disentangling this ecological puzzle using a multi-scale observation trifecta (ground-based monitoring, aerial/satellite remote sensing, and empirical/machine-learning/process-based modeling).
Posted on December 2, 2025December 2, 2025

Machine learning and process-based modeling of spatiotemporal changes in active layer thickness across Alaska

Article published this week in Scientific Reports!

Posted on November 14, 2025November 14, 2025

Coarse land cover datasets bias Arctic-Boreal wetland methane budgets

Article published this week in Communications Earth and Environment!

Posted on October 14, 2025October 14, 2025

Peatland fires in Alaska will double by the end of the century

Article published this week in Scientific Reports!

Posted on September 1, 2025September 11, 2025

DARTS: Multi-year database of AI-detected retrogressive thaw slumps in the circum-arctic permafrost region

New Article published this week in Scientific Data!

Posted on August 14, 2025September 11, 2025

State of the Climate in 2024

New Report published this week in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society!

Posted on August 11, 2025September 11, 2025

Quantifying Retrogressive Thaw Slump Mass Wasting and Carbon Mobilisation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Using Multi-Modal Remote Sensing

New Article published this week in the Cryosphere!

Posted on July 15, 2025September 11, 2025

 DVMDOSTEM: a terrestrial ecosystem model designed to represent arctic, boreal and permafrost ecosystem dynamics

New Article published this week in the Journal of Open Source Software!

Posted on June 26, 2025September 11, 2025

Permafrost–wildfire interactions: active layer thickness estimates for paired burned and unburned sites in northern high latitudes

New Article published this week in Earth System Science Data!

Posted on February 13, 2025

The Changing Face of the Arctic: Four Decades of Greening and Implications for Tundra Ecosystems

Review Article published this week in Frontiers of Environmental Science!

Posted on January 27, 2025February 12, 2025

A 20 m spatial resolution peatland extent map of Alaska

New Article published this week in Scientific Data!

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News

  • Machine learning and process-based modeling of spatiotemporal changes in active layer thickness across Alaska
  • Coarse land cover datasets bias Arctic-Boreal wetland methane budgets
  • Peatland fires in Alaska will double by the end of the century
  • DARTS: Multi-year database of AI-detected retrogressive thaw slumps in the circum-arctic permafrost region
  • State of the Climate in 2024
  • Quantifying Retrogressive Thaw Slump Mass Wasting and Carbon Mobilisation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Using Multi-Modal Remote Sensing

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2025 Alaska Fieldwork (Boreal Peatlands, Brooks Foothills, Arctic Coastal Plain)

2024 Alaska Fieldwork (Arctic Coastal Plain)

coming soon....

2023 Alaska Fieldwork (Noatak National Preserve)

2022 Alaska Fieldwork (Brooks Range to Arctic Coastal Plain)

lake drainage
tundra carbon flux
NDVI shrub
NDVI bog
NDVI
collapse scar bog
collapse scar bog

2021 Alaska Fieldwork (Brooks Foothills)

2020 Fieldwork

2019 Alaska Fieldwork (Arctic Coastal Plain)

pit
recent pit
old pit
old pit
recently formed pit
recent pit
Moss in old pits
2015 drained via gully
Pits
Mavic + Rededge
aerenchyma
2015 drained
Pits
drained lake
Dr. Andresen setting up mesocosm
recently formed pit
recent pit
ALD
1976 drained lake

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