I study how human land use and climate affect the structure and functioning of natural and managed ecosystems. I use numerical models to predict how forests, grasslands, and croplands respond to changes in climate means as well as extreme weather (e.g., droughts) and increases in greenhouse gas concentrations. I am currently predicting how the conversion of current cropland for bioenergy production could impact water resources. I'm also focusing on Minnesota to evaluate how climate might change in the state and what this means for locations that are currently threatened for water shortages or may become threatened. I have also been comparing the urban heat islands of the top 100 most populous cities around the world, and have been characterizing the urban heat island of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan region with the goal of mitigating urban warming to develop cities that are best able to adapt to climate change.