Ann M. Lynch
Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research
Tucson, AZ 85721-0045
United States
My principle research involves understanding insect disturbance ecology in Southwestern high elevation forests. My goals are to determine the effects of climate and human activities on historical and contemporary disturbance regimes and ecosystem stability, and to determine the causes of, and climate associated with, contemporary severe and anomalous insect outbreaks. Individual studies include dendrochronologically reconstructing fire, insect outbreak, logging, and climate effects on tree population dynamics at the mountain range scale; investigating the ecology and impact of emergent (native but previously innocuous) and range-expansive insect pests. I am also involved with investigating the ecology and impact of the exotic and invasive spruce aphid in western North American montane and maritime ecosystems, where it threatens ecosystem stability and biodiversity.
- Developed tree-ring methodology and used that methodology to reconstruct multi-century chronologies of western spruce budworm outbreaks in Colorado & New Mexico, providing scientists with key methodology to investigate the long-term temporal variability of forest insect outbreaks, and providing managers with information on temporal and spatial variability in western spruce budworm, including information about outbreak frequency, duration, extent, and response to change in forest condition.
- Developed hazard-rating systems for spruce budworm and pales weevil, allowing managers to assess the probability of resource damage.
- Developed statistically sound sampling strategies for spruce budworm and western spruce budworm damage, allowing pest managers to accurately estimate populations and their damage.
- Characterized spruce budworm outbreak severity associations with different ecological factors in northern Michigan, providing resource managers with information on hazard relationships that they could use to mitigate the effects of this insect.
My research interests are focused on disturbance ecology of western forest insects, high elevation disturbance ecology, climate change effects, fire exclusion effects, insect impact assessment, modeling, decision support systems, and the Sky Island mountain ecosystems of the Southwest.
My research is important because it provides managers with information about the effects of legacy conditions, past disturbance events, climate and human activities on Southwestern historical and contemporary disturbance regimes and ecosystem stability. It develops tools for quantifying and assessing insect effects, and informs predictive models. Southwestern ecosystems are especially vulnerable to climate- and human-induced changes because of their southern latitude and vertical landscape connectivity, and because of their history of fire exclusion. Managers need this information in order to develop adaptive management strategies that promote forest health and resiliency, and to mitigate the negative effects of future disturbances and climate change. My research on spruce aphid is important because it provides information needed to mitigate negative effects and to develop control strategies.
- University of Michigan, M.F., Forest Biometrics, 1984
- University of Michigan, Ph.D., Natural Resources (Entomology/ Pest Management), 1984
- University of Michigan, M.S., Natural Resources (Entomology/ Pest Management ), 1981
- Pennsylvania State University, B.S., Forest Science, 1977
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Adjunct Associate Professor of Dendrochronology,
The University of Arizona, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research,
2006 -
Current
Tucson AZ
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Research Entomologist,
US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,
1987 -
Current
Currently in Tucson AZ, but previously in Flagstaff AZ and Fort Collins CO
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Assistant Professor of Watershed Management (Forest Resources Management),
The University of Arizona, School of Renewable Natural Resources,
1985 -
1987
Tucson AZ
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Research Assistant in Forest Entomology,
The University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources,
1980 -
1987
Iron River and Ann Arbor MI
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Regional Plans and Operations Forester,
Weyerhaeuser Company, Oklahoma Region,
1978 -
1979
Wright City OK
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Professional Intern I (Entomology),
Weyerhaeuser Company, Southern Forestry Research Center,
1978 -
1978
Hot Springs AR
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Professional Intern I (Forest Regeneration),
Weyerhaeuser Company, Western Forestry Research Center,
1977 -
1978
Centralia WA
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Field Research Assistant,
The Pennsylvania State University, Entomology Department,
1976 -
1976
University Park PA
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Technical Assistant,
The Pennsylvania State University, Entomology Department, Gypsy Moth Technical Information Project,
1975 -
1976
University Park PA
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Laboratory Technician in Microbiology,
Behrend College, The Pennsylvania State University,
1973 -
1975
Erie PA
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Performance Award, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 2013
For superior performance, 2012.
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Certificate of Merit, Coronado N.F., 2012
For Resource Management: in recognition of outstanding work performed for the forest vegetation sections of the Draft Revised Forest Plan & DEIS, which has been recognized by the Regional Office as "the best that they have seen".
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Certificate of Merit, Rocky Mountain Forest & Range Experiment Station, 1998
For outstanding technology transfer in the form of participation in scientific meetings and work conferences in the field of forest entomology.
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Certificate of Merit, Rocky Mountain Forest & Range Experiment Station, 1988
For continuous dedication to excellence in forestry education.
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Distinguished Alumni Award, Alumni Society of the University of Michigan, 1986
Alumni Society of the School of Natural Resources
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Donald M. Matthews Award in Forest Management, University of Michigan, 1984
Faculty of the School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan
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Samuel A. Graham Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Forest Biology and Superior Writing Capability, 1983
Faculty of the School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan
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Traveling Scholar, CIC Michigan State University, 1982
Committee on Institutional Cooperation, Michigan State University.
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Xi Sigma Pi, 1982
Eta Chapter 1976, Upsilon Chapter 1989. National forestry honor society.
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National Honor Society, 1972
Recognition of outstanding student achievement in (high school)
- Negron, Jose F.; Bentz, Barbara J.; Fettig, Christopher J.; Gillette, Nancy; Hansen, E. Matthew; Hayes, Jane L.; Kelsey, Rick G.; Lundquist, John E.; Lynch, Ann M.; Progar, Robert A.; Seybold, Steven J.. 2008. US Forest Service bark beetle research in the western United States: Looking toward the future
- Lynch, Ann M.. 2012. What tree-ring reconstruction tells us about conifer defoliator outbreaks
- Lynch, Ann M.. 2009. Spruce aphid, Elatobium abietinum (Walker): Life history and damage to Engelmann spruce in the Pinaleno Mountains, Arizona
- Klesse, Stefan ; DeRose, Robert Justin; Babst, Flurin ; Black, Bryan A.; Anderegg, Leander D. L.; Axelson, Jodi ; Ettinger, Ailene ; Griesbauer, Hardy ; Guiterman, Christopher H.; Harley, Grant ; Harvey, Jill E.; Lo, Yueh-Hsin ; Lynch, Ann M.; O'Connor, Christopher ; Restaino, Christina ; Sauchyn, Dave ; Shaw, John D.; Smith, Dan J.; Wood, Lisa ; Villanueva-Díaz, Jose ; Evans, Margaret E. K.. 2020. Continental-scale tree-ring-based projection of Douglas-fir growth: Testing the limits of space-for-time substitution
- Guiterman, Christopher H.; Lynch, Ann M.; Axelson, Jodi N.. 2020. dfoliatR: An R package for detection and analysis of insect defoliation signals in tree rings
- Lynch, Ann M.; Mukhamadiev, Nurjan S.; O’Connor, Christopher D.; Panyushkina, Irina P.; Ashikbaev, Nursagim A.; Sagitov, Abay O.. 2019. Tree-ring reconstruction of bark beetle disturbances in the Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et Mey. Forests of Southeast Kazakhstan
- Lynch, Ann M.. 2019. Socioecological impacts of multiple forest insect outbreaks in the Pinaleño spruce-fir forest, Arizona
- Malesky, Danielle M.; Bentz, Barbara J.; Brown, Gary R.; Brunelle, Andrea R.; Buffington, John M.; Chappell, Linda M.; DeRose, R. Justin; Guyon, John C., II.; Jorgensen, Carl L.; Loehman, Rachel A.; Lowrey, Laura L.; Lynch, Ann M.; Matyjasik, Marek; McMillin, Joel D.; Mercado, Javier E.; Morris, Jesse L.; Negron, Jose F.; Padgett, Wayne G.; Progar, Robert A.; Randall, Carol B.. 2018. Effects of climate change on ecological disturbances [Chapter 8]
- Klesse, Stefan ; DeRose, R. Justin; Guiterman, Christopher H.; Lynch, Ann M.; O’Connor, Christopher D.; Shaw, John D.; Evans, Margaret E. K.. 2018. Sampling bias overestimates climate change impacts on forest growth in the southwestern United States
- O'Connor, Christopher D.; Falk, Donald A.; Lynch, Ann M.; Swetnam, Thomas W.; Wilcox, Craig P.. 2017. Disturbance and productivity interactions mediate stability of forest composition and structure
- Panyushkina, Irina P.; Mukhamadiev, Nurjan S.; Lynch, Ann M.; Ashikbaev, Nursagim A.; Arizpe, Alexis H.; O'Connor, Christopher D.; Abjanbaev, Danyar; Mengdbayeva, Gulnaz Z.; Sagitov, Abay O.. 2017. Wild apple growth and climate change in southeast Kazakhstan
- Swetnam, Tyson L.; O'Connor, Christopher D.; Lynch, Ann M.. 2016. Tree morphologic plasticity explains deviation from metabolic scaling theory in semi-arid conifer forests, southwestern USA
- Swetnam, T. L.; Lynch, A. M.; Falk, D. A.; Yool, S. R.; Guertin, D. P.. 2015. Discriminating disturbance from natural variation with LiDAR in semi-arid forests in the southwestern USA
- Anhold, John; Mitchell, Brent; Wilcox, Craig; Mellin, Tom; Merrick, Melissa; Lynch, Ann; Walterman, Mike; Falk, Donald; Koprowski, John; Laes, Denise; Evans, Don; Fisk, Haans. 2015. Using LiDAR to evaluate forest landscapes and health factors and their relationship to habitat of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel on the Coronado National Forest, Pinaleno Mountains, Arizona [Chap. 12]
- O'Connor, Christopher D.; Lynch, Ann M.; Falk, Donald A.; Swetnam, Thomas W.. 2014. Post-fire forest dynamics and climate variability affect spatial and temporal properties of spruce beetle outbreaks on a Sky Island mountain range
- O’Connor, Christopher D.; Koprowski, John L.; Lynch, Ann M.; Falk, Donald A.. 2014. Mt. Graham red squirrel use of forest habitat: Historical, present, and future perspectives
- Lynch, Ann M.. 2014. Spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum Walker) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) [Chapter XXIV]
- Negron, Jose F.; Lynch, Ann M.; Schaupp, Willis C., Jr..; Bocharnikov, Vladimir. 2014. Douglas-fir tussock moth- and Douglas-fir beetle-caused mortality in a ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir forest in the Colorado Front Range, USA
- Swetnam, Tyson L.; Falk, Donald A.; Lynch, Ann M.; Yool, Stephen R.. 2014. Estimating individual tree mid- and understory rank-size distributions from airborne laser scanning in semi-arid forests
- Mukhamadiev, N.; Lynch, A.; O'Connor, C.; Sagitov, A.; Ashikbaev, N.; Panyushkina, I.. 2014. The historical role of Ips hauseri (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the spruce forest of Ile-Alatausky and Medeo National Parks
- O'Connor, Christopher D.; Falk, Donald A.; Lynch, Ann M.; Swetnam, Thomas W.. 2014. Fire severity, size, and climate associations diverge from historical precedent along an ecological gradient in the Pinaleno Mountains, Arizona, USA
- Friggens, M.; Bagne, K.; Finch, D.; Falk, D.; Triepke, J.; Lynch, A.. 2013. Review and recommendations for climate change vulnerability assessment approaches with examples from the Southwest
- Lynch, Ann M.; O'Connor, Christopher D.. 2013. Mountain pine beetle in southwestern white pine in the Pinaleno Mountains
- Austin, Terry; Begay, Yolynda; Biedenbender, Sharon; Biggs, Rachael; Boyle, Erin; Curiel, Eli; Davis, Sarah; Dechter, Sara; Emmett, Tami; Farrell, Mary; Gerhart, Richard; Gillespie, William; Haessig, Polly; Holloway, Ed; Jenkins, Melissa; Jones, Larry; Kriegel, Debby; Lefevre, Robert; Stamer, Mark; Lehew, Mindi; Lynch, Ann; McKay, George; Peery, Linda; Peralta, Albert; Ruyle, Jennifer; Sautter, Jeremy; Schoenle, Kenna; Shafiqullah, Salek; Stetson, Christopher; Vogel, Mindi Sue; White, Laura; Wilcox, Craig; York, Judy. 2013. Coronado National Forest Draft Land and Resource Management Plan: Cochise, Graham, Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz Counties, Arizona, and Hidalgo County, New Mexico
- Peralta, Albert; Campbell, Andrea Wargo; Lynch, Ann; Bowen, Cheri; Stetson, Christopher; Wilcox, Craig; Zormeier, Daniela; Kriegel, Debby; Jaworski, Delilah; Walters, Dustin; Curiel, Eli; Boyle, Erin; McKay, George; Moser, Janet; Morrissey, Jennifer; Ruyle, Jennifer M.; Sautter, Jeremy; York, Judy; Schoenle, Kenna; Jones, Larry; White, Laura; Peery, Linda; Farrell, Mary; Lehew, Mindi; Vogel, Mindy Sue; Laluk, Nicholas; Biggs, Rachael; Lefevre, Robert; Gerhart, Richard; Shafiqullah, Salek; Dechter, Sara; Davis, Sarah; Biedenbender, Sharon; Emmett, Tami; Austin, Terry; Gillespie, William; Begay, Yolynda. 2013. Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Revision of the Coronado National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan: Cochise, Graham, Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz Counties, Arizona; Hidalgo County, New Mexico
- Mitchell, Brent; Walterman, Mike; Mellin, Tom; Wilcox, Craig; Lynch, Ann M.; Anhold, John; Falk, Donald A.; Koprowski, John; Laes, Denise; Evans, Don; Fisk, Haans. 2012. Mapping vegetation structure in the Pinaleno Mountains using lidar-phase 3: Forest inventory modeling
- Amelon, Sybill; Brooks, Robert T.; Glaeser, Jessie; Friggens, Megan; Lindner, Daniel; Loeb, Susan C.; Lynch, Ann; Minnis, Drew; Perry, Roger; Rowland, Mary M.; Tomosy, Monica; Weller, Ted. 2012. U.S. Forest Service Research and Development (USFS R/D) national science strategy on White Nose Syndrome (WNS)
- Anderson, R. Scott; Smith, Susan J.; Lynch, Ann M.; Geils, Brian W.. 2010. The pollen record of a 20th century spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreak in a Colorado subalpine forest, USA
- O'Connor, Christopher; Falk, Donald A.; Lynch, Ann M.; Wilcox, Craig P.; Swetnam, Thomas W.; Swetnam, Tyson L.. 2010. Growth and demography of Pinaleno high elevation forests
- Betancourt, Julio L.; Goodrich, D. C.; Lynch, Ann M.; Nabhan, Gary. 2005. Connecting mountain islands and desert seas: Biodiversity and management of the Madrean Archipelago II: Plenary abstracts
- Lynch, Ann M.. 2003. Spruce aphid in high elevation habitats in the Southwest U.S.
- Witter, John A.; Lynch, Ann M.; Montgomery, Bruce A.. 1983. Management Implications of Interactions between the Spruce Budworm and Spruce-Fir Stands

Forests transformed by fire exclusion help us understand climate resilience
