1,523 results
Search Results
2. Special Paper: The Distance Decay of Similarity in Biogeography and Ecology
- Author
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Nekola, Jeffrey C. and White, Peter S.
- Published
- 1999
3. Comparative drought sensitivity of co‐occurring white spruce and paper birch in interior Alaska.
- Author
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Sullivan, Patrick F., Brownlee, Annalis H., Ellison, Sarah B. Z., Cahoon, Sean M. P., and Bellingham, Peter
- Subjects
WHITE spruce ,ASPEN (Trees) ,BIRCH ,DECIDUOUS plants ,SOIL moisture ,DROUGHTS ,WILDFIRE prevention - Abstract
Numerous recent studies have argued that moisture limitation is leading to growth declines and mortality of black spruce (Picea mariana) and white spruce (Picea glauca) in the North American boreal forest. A parallel line of research suggests that increasingly common severe wildfires are altering successional pathways and leading to long‐term replacement of spruce forests with those dominated by paper birch (Betula papyrifera, Betula neoalaskana) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides). When both conifers and deciduous trees establish after fire, this biome shift hypothesis implicitly assumes that deciduous species will outcompete the conifers, owing to their more rapid vertical growth and because they might be less sensitive to warm and dry conditions.We established a research site in a white spruce‐paper birch forest on an east‐facing slope in interior Alaska and tested the hypothesis that Alaska paper birch are better adapted to warm and dry conditions than white spruce. Over 6 years (2013–2018), we made hourly measurements of microclimate and xylem sap flux of both species. We also collected increment cores and conducted climate‐growth analyses for both species.During our 6‐year study, growing seasons with low volumetric soil water content (SWC) were those that followed shallow winter snowpacks and had limited summer rainfall, not necessarily those with warm air temperature. Both species were sensitive to moisture limitation. The tree‐ring data revealed significant positive effects of cumulative water year precipitation on radial growth, with a steeper slope for paper birch than for white spruce. Radial growth of both species was also positively related to mean water year air temperature. Sap flux density declined progressively for white spruce over the range of observed SWC and abruptly for paper birch when SWC fell below ~15%.Synthesis. Our results show that, while paper birch might be less sensitive to mild drought than white spruce, it may be more sensitive to severe drought, raising questions about the ability of paper birch to outcompete co‐occurring white spruce in a drier climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Links Between Runoff Generation, Climate and Nitrate-N Leaching from Forested Catchments
- Author
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Andersson, Lotta, Lepistö, Ahti, Wieder, R. Kelman, editor, Novák, Martin, editor, and Černý, Jiří, editor
- Published
- 1998
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Nitrogen acquisition and competitive ability of Kalmia angustifolia L., paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) seedlings grown on different humus forms
- Author
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Bradley, R.L., Titus, B.D., and Fyles, J.W.
- Published
- 1997
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Contrasting drivers and trends of coniferous and deciduous tree growth in interior Alaska.
- Author
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Cahoon, Sean M. P., Sullivan, Patrick F., Brownlee, Annalis H., Pattison, Robert R., Andersen, Hans‐erik, Legner, Kate, and Hollingsworth, Teresa N.
- Subjects
- *
ALASKA paper birch , *TAIGAS , *DENDROCHRONOLOGY , *WHITE spruce , *POPULUS tremuloides - Abstract
Abstract: The boreal biome represents approximately one third of the world's forested area and plays an important role in global biogeochemical and energy cycles. Numerous studies in boreal Alaska have concluded that growth of black and white spruce is declining as a result of temperature‐induced drought stress. The combined evidence of declining spruce growth and changes in the fire regime that favor establishment of deciduous tree species has led some investigators to suggest the region may be transitioning from dominance by spruce to dominance by deciduous forests and/or grasslands. Although spruce growth trends have been extensively investigated, few studies have evaluated long‐term radial growth trends of the dominant deciduous species (Alaska paper birch and trembling aspen) and their sensitivity to moisture availability. We used a large and spatially extensive sample of tree cores from interior Alaska to compare long‐term growth trends among contrasting tree species (white and black spruce vs. birch and aspen). All species showed a growth peak in the mid‐1940s, although growth following the peak varied strongly across species. Following an initial decline from the peak, growth of white spruce showed little evidence of a trend, while black spruce and birch growth showed slight growth declines from ~1970 to present. Aspen growth was much more variable than the other species and showed a steep decline from ~1970 to present. Growth of birch, black and white spruce was sensitive to moisture availability throughout most of the tree‐ring chronologies, as evidenced by negative correlations with air temperature and positive correlations with precipitation. However, a positive correlation between previous July precipitation and aspen growth disappeared in recent decades, corresponding with a rise in the population of the aspen leaf miner (Phyllocnistis populiella), an herbivorous moth, which may have driven growth to a level not seen since the early 20th century. Our results provide important historical context for recent growth and raise questions regarding competitive interactions among the dominant tree species and exchanges of carbon and energy in the warming climate of interior Alaska. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Simulating the Long-Term Response of Forest Succession to Climate Change in the Boreal Forest of Northern Ontario, Canada.
- Author
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Larocque, Guy R., Bell, F. Wayne, Searle, Eric B., Mayor, Stephen J., Schiks, Thomas, and Kalantari, Parvin
- Abstract
The effect of climate change on forest dynamics is likely to increase in importance in the forthcoming decades. For this reason, it is essential to predict the extent to which changes in temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric CO
2 might affect the development of forest ecosystems and successional pathways. The gap model ZELIG-CFS was used to simulate the potential long-term effects of climate change on species-specific annual change in mean basal area and stand density under two scenarios of representative concentration pathways (RCP), 4.5 and 8.5, for the boreal forest region of Ontario, Canada, where mean temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric CO2 are expected to increase. Forest ecosystems in this boreal region included pure and mixed stands of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss), northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.), American larch (Larix laricina [Du Roi] K. Koch), and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.). Simulation results under climate change generally predicted a decline in the basal area and stand density for black spruce, balsam fir, jack pine, and white spruce, but an increase for paper birch, trembling aspen, American larch, and balsam poplar. However, the extent of change differed regionally among species. Forest composition is expected to change over the long term. Simulation results indicated that shade-intolerant deciduous and conifer species will increase their dominance over the 100-year time horizon. This transition toward the increasing presence of deciduous forests is likely explained by more favorable temperature conditions for their growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Anticipating Future Risks of Climate-Driven Wildfires in Boreal Forests.
- Author
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Corning, Shelby, Krasovskiy, Andrey, Kiparisov, Pavel, San Pedro, Johanna, Viana, Camila Maciel, and Kraxner, Florian
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WILDFIRES ,FOREST fires ,TAIGAS ,WILDFIRE risk ,WILDFIRE prevention ,HISTORICAL analysis ,REMOTE sensing ,CLIMATE change ,FIREFIGHTING - Abstract
Extreme forest fires have historically been a significant concern in Canada, the Russian Federation, the USA, and now pose an increasing threat in boreal Europe. This paper deals with application of the wildFire cLimate impacts and Adaptation Model (FLAM) in boreal forests. FLAM operates on a daily time step and utilizes mechanistic algorithms to quantify the impact of climate, human activities, and fuel availability on wildfire probabilities, frequencies, and burned areas. In our paper, we calibrate the model using historical remote sensing data and explore future projections of burned areas under different climate change scenarios. The study consists of the following steps: (i) analysis of the historical burned areas over 2001–2020; (ii) analysis of temperature and precipitation changes in the future projections as compared to the historical period; (iii) analysis of the future burned areas projected by FLAM and driven by climate change scenarios until the year 2100; (iv) simulation of adaptation options under the worst-case scenario. The modeling results show an increase in burned areas under all Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. Maintaining current temperatures (RCP 2.6) will still result in an increase in burned area (total and forest), but in the worst-case scenario (RCP 8.5), projected burned forest area will more than triple by 2100. Based on FLAM calibration, we identify hotspots for wildland fires in the boreal forest and suggest adaptation options such as increasing suppression efficiency at the hotspots. We model two scenarios of improved reaction times—stopping a fire within 4 days and within 24 h—which could reduce average burned forest areas by 48.6% and 79.2%, respectively, compared to projected burned areas without adaptation from 2021–2099. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Gap regeneration within mature deciduous forests of Interior Alaska: Implications for future forest change.
- Author
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Alexander, Heather D. and Mack, Michelle C.
- Subjects
FORESTS & forestry ,DECIDUOUS forests ,DECIDUOUS plants ,ALASKA paper birch ,POPULUS tremuloides - Abstract
Increased fire severity in boreal forests of Interior Alaska is shifting forest canopy composition from black spruce ( Picea mariana ) to deciduous species, including trembling aspen ( Populus tremuloides ) and Alaska paper birch ( Betula neoalaskana ). Because deciduous trees are less flammable than black spruce, the dominant disturbance regime in deciduous forests could move away from fire to one of gap disturbances. In this study, we quantified forest gap characteristics and vegetation within eight mature (62–119-yr-old) deciduous stands in Interior Alaska. Canopy gaps were generally small (true gap area <50 m 2 ), formed by the mortality of 4–16 gap makers (which were always deciduous trees), and occupied ∼17–29% of the forest except in the oldest stand, where gap fraction exceeded 45%, and in one anomalous 84-yr old stand, where gaps were absent. Canopy openness increased linearly with gap area, but density of both deciduous and evergreen tree recruits was generally low and insufficient to create future stands with densities similar to those currently found in mature stands across the landscape. Canopy openness was instead correlated with decreased leaf litter cover and increased cover of moss, lichen, and evergreen shrubs. Given the low recruitment of trees with canopy gaps and the decreased probability of fire, deciduous stands will likely transition to non-forested areas or low density stands once overstory trees reach maturity and die. This could have numerous implications for ecosystem function, including carbon (C), water, and energy balance, and potential feedbacks to future fire occurrence and regional climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Ectomycorrhizal fungal response to warming is linked to poor host performance at the boreal-temperate ecotone.
- Author
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Fernandez, Christopher W., Nguyen, Nhu H., Stefanski, Artur, Han, Ying, Hobbie, Sarah E., Montgomery, Rebecca A., Reich, Peter B., and Kennedy, Peter G.
- Subjects
ECTOMYCORRHIZAL fungi ,ECOTONES ,PAPER birch ,BALSAM fir ,TAIGAS - Abstract
Rising temperatures associated with climate change have been shown to negatively affect the photosynthetic rates of boreal forest tree saplings at their southern range limits. To quantify the responses of ectomycorrhizal ( EM) fungal communities associated with poorly performing hosts, we sampled the roots of Betula papyrifera and Abies balsamea saplings growing in the B4Warmed (Boreal Forest Warming at an Ecotone in Danger) experiment. EM fungi on the root systems of both hosts were compared from ambient and +3.4 °C air and soil warmed plots at two sites in northern Minnesota. EM fungal communities were assessed with high-throughput sequencing along with measures of plant photosynthesis, soil temperature, moisture, and nitrogen. Warming selectively altered EM fungal community composition at both the phylum and genus levels, but had no significant effect on EM fungal operational taxonomic unit ( OTU) diversity. Notably, warming strongly favored EM Ascomycetes and EM fungi with short-contact hyphal exploration types. Declining host photosynthetic rates were also significantly inversely correlated with EM Ascomycete and EM short-contact exploration type abundance, which may reflect a shift to less carbon demanding fungi due to lower photosynthetic capacity. Given the variation in EM host responses to warming, both within and between ecosystems, better understanding the link between host performance and EM fungal community structure will to clarify how climate change effects cascade belowground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Radial growth response of four dominant boreal tree species to climate along a latitudinal gradient in the eastern Canadian boreal forest.
- Author
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JIANGUO HUANG, TARDIF, JACQUES C., BERGERON, YVES, DENNELER, BERNHARD, BERNINGER, FRANK, and GIRARDIN, MARTIN P.
- Subjects
TREE growth ,CLIMATE change ,GLOBAL warming ,HIGH temperatures ,STATISTICAL correlation ,TAIGAS ,PAPER birch ,FORESTS & forestry - Abstract
To address the central question of how climate change influences tree growth within the context of global warming, we used dendroclimatological analysis to understand the reactions of four major boreal tree species – Populus tremuloides, Betula papyrifera, Picea mariana, and Pinus banksiana– to climatic variations along a broad latitudinal gradient from 46 to 54°N in the eastern Canadian boreal forest. Tree-ring chronologies from 34 forested stands distributed at a 1° interval were built, transformed into principal components (PCs), and analyzed through bootstrapped correlation analysis over the period 1950–2003 to identify climate factors limiting the radial growth and the detailed radial growth–climate association along the gradient. All species taken together, previous summer temperature (negative influences), and current January and March–April temperatures (positive influences) showed the most consistent relationships with radial growth across the gradient. Combined with the identified species/site-specific climate factors, our study suggested that moisture conditions during the year before radial growth played a dominant role in positively regulating P. tremuloides growth, whereas January temperature and growing season moisture conditions positively impacted growth of B. papyrifera. Both P. mariana and P. banksiana were positively affected by the current-year winter and spring or whole growing season temperatures over the entire range of our corridor. Owing to the impacts of different climate factors on growth, these boreal species showed inconsistent responsiveness to recent warming at the transition zone, where B. papyrifera, P. mariana, and P. banksiana would be the most responsive species, whereas P. tremuloides might be the least. Under continued warming, B. papyrifera stands located north of 49°N, P. tremuloides at northern latitudes, and P. mariana and P. banksiana stands located north of 47°N might benefit from warming winter and spring temperatures to enhance their radial growth in the coming decades, whereas other southern stands might be decreasing in radial growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. Trends in seedling growth and carbon-use efficiency vary among broadleaf tree species along a latitudinal transect in eastern North America.
- Author
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Dillaway, Dylan N. and Kruger, Eric L.
- Subjects
SEEDLINGS ,POPULUS tremuloides ,PAPER birch ,COTTONWOOD ,SWEETGUM ,TAIGAS ,DECIDUOUS plants - Abstract
Factors constraining the geographic ranges of broadleaf tree species in eastern North America were examined in common gardens along a ~1500 km latitudinal transect travers in grange boundaries of four target species: trembling aspen ( Populus tremuloides) and paper birch ( Betula papyrifera) to the north vs. eastern cottonwood ( Populus deltoides) and sweet gum ( Liquidambar styraciflua) to the south. In 2006 and 2007, carbon-use efficiency ( CUE), the proportion of assimilated carbon retained in biomass, was estimated for seedlings of the four species as the quotient of relative growth rate ( RGR) and photosynthesis per unit tree mass ( A
tree ). In aspen and birch, CUE and RGR declined significantly with increasing growth temperature, which spanned 9 °C across gardens and years. The 37% (relative) CUE decrease from coolest to warmest garden correlated with increases in leaf nighttime respiration ( Rleaf ) and the ratio of Rleaf to leaf photosynthesis ( R%A ). For cottonwood and sweet gum, however, similar increases in Rleaf and R%A accompanied modest CUE declines, implying that processes other than Rleaf were responsible for species differences in CUE's temperature response. Our findings illustrate marked taxonomic variation, at least among young trees, in the thermal sensitivity of CUE, and point to potentially negative consequences of climate warming for the carbon balance, competitive ability, and persistence of two foundation species in northern temperate and boreal forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Forest diversity effects on insect herbivores: do leaf traits matter?
- Author
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Glenn R. Iason, Julia Koricheva, Juha-Pekka Salminen, Evalyne W. Muiruri, Sandra Barantal, and Estefania Perez‐Fernandez
- Subjects
leaf traits ,0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Insecta ,Physiology ,Plant Science ,Forests ,Biology ,Models, Biological ,01 natural sciences ,Trees ,biodiversity and ecosystem functioning ,03 medical and health sciences ,Quantitative Trait, Heritable ,plant–herbivore interactions ,Species Specificity ,Abundance (ecology) ,Animals ,Gall ,Herbivory ,boreal forest ,trait‐mediated effects ,Relative species abundance ,Herbivore ,Full Paper ,Resistance (ecology) ,Ecology ,Research ,Satakunta forest diversity experiment ,fungi ,Taiga ,food and beverages ,Biodiversity ,Full Papers ,15. Life on land ,Plant Leaves ,030104 developmental biology ,Betula pendula ,ta1181 ,Species richness ,human activities ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Summary Insect herbivore damage and abundance are often reduced in diverse plant stands. However, few studies have explored whether this phenomenon is a result of plant diversity effects on host plant traits.We explored indirect effects of tree species diversity on herbivory via changes in leaf traits in a long‐term forest diversity experiment in Finland. We measured 16 leaf traits and leaf damage by four insect guilds (chewers, gall formers, leaf miners and rollers) on silver birch (Betula pendula) trees growing in one‐, two‐, three‐ and five‐species mixtures.A decline in the frequency of birch in mixed stands resulted in reduced leaf area. This, in turn, mediated the reduction in chewing damage in mixed stands. In contrast, associational resistance of birch to leaf miners was not trait‐mediated but driven directly by concurrent declines in birch frequency as tree species richness increased.Our results show that leaf trait variation across the diversity gradient might promote associational resistance, but these patterns are driven by an increase in the relative abundance of heterospecifics rather than by tree species richness per se. Therefore, accounting for concurrent changes in stand structure and key foliar traits is important for the interpretation of plant diversity effects and predictions of associational patterns.
- Published
- 2019
14. Benchmarking Under- and Above-Canopy Laser Scanning Solutions for Deriving Stem Curve and Volume in Easy and Difficult Boreal Forest Conditions.
- Author
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Muhojoki, Jesse, Tavi, Daniella, Hyyppä, Eric, Lehtomäki, Matti, Faitli, Tamás, Kaartinen, Harri, Kukko, Antero, Hakala, Teemu, and Hyyppä, Juha
- Subjects
TAIGAS ,AIRBORNE lasers ,OPTICAL scanners ,SCANNING systems ,LASERS ,FOREST canopies - Abstract
The use of mobile laser scanning for mapping forests has scarcely been studied in difficult forest conditions. In this paper, we compare the accuracy of retrieving tree attributes, particularly diameter at breast height (DBH), stem curve, stem volume, and tree height, using six different laser scanning systems in a managed natural boreal forest. These compared systems operated both under the forest canopy on handheld and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms and above the canopy from a helicopter. The complexity of the studied forest sites ranged from easy to difficult, and thus, this is the first study to compare the performance of several laser scanning systems for the direct measurement of stem curve in difficult forest conditions. To automatically detect tree stems and to calculate their attributes, we utilized our previously developed algorithm integrated with a novel bias compensation method to reduce the overestimation of stem diameter arising from finite laser beam divergence. The bias compensation method reduced the absolute value of the diameter bias by 55–99%. The most accurate laser scanning systems were equipped with a Velodyne VLP-16 sensor, which has a relatively low beam divergence, on a handheld or UAV platform. In easy plots, these systems found a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of below 10% for DBH and stem curve estimates and approximately 10% for stem volume. With the handheld system in difficult plots, the DBH and stem curve estimates had an RMSE under 10%, and the stem volume RMSE was below 20%. Even though bias compensation reduced the difference in bias and RMSE between laser scanners with high and low beam divergence, the RMSE remained higher for systems with a high beam divergence. The airborne laser scanner operating above the forest canopy provided tree attribute estimates close to the accuracy of the under-canopy laser scanners, but with a significantly lower completeness rate for stem detection, especially in difficult forest conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. Palynological evidence for pre-agricultural reindeer grazing and the later settlement history of the Lycksele region, northern Sweden
- Author
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Ilse Mirjam Kamerling, Kevin J. Edwards, J. Edward Schofield, Kamerling, Ilse M [0000-0003-3321-8631], Schofield, J Edward [0000-0003-1379-0753], Edwards, Kevin J [0000-0002-7205-066X], Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository, Kamerling, Ilse M. [0000-0003-3321-8631], Schofield, J. Edward [0000-0003-1379-0753], and Edwards, Kevin J. [0000-0002-7205-066X]
- Subjects
Colonization ,010506 paleontology ,Archeology ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Hay making ,01 natural sciences ,law.invention ,Reindeer herding ,law ,Forest Sami ,Grazing ,Radiocarbon dating ,Sedimentology ,Boreal forest ,Nordic farmers ,Swidden ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Palynology ,Pollen analysis ,Herbivore ,Original Paper ,Land use ,Coprophilous fungal spores ,Fire clearance ,Taiga ,Vegetation ,Archaeology ,Geography ,Anthropology - Abstract
Funder: Leverhulme Trust; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000275, Funder: European Research Council; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000781, Analyses of high-resolution pollen data, coprophilous fungal spores, microscopic charcoal and sedimentology, combined with radiocarbon dating, allow the assessment of the impact of Sami and Nordic land use in the region surrounding the winter market town of Lycksele in northern Sweden. Such winter markets were established by the Crown during the seventeenth century AD to control the semi-nomadic movements of the Sami who traded here with Finnish settlers and were also taxed and educated. Little is known about Sami and Nordic co-existence beyond these market places, mainly due to a lack of archaeological evidence relating to Sami activity. Vegetation and land-use changes in the region between ~ AD 250 and 1825 reveal no signal for pre-seventeenth century agricultural activity, but the coprophilous fungal spore records suggest the increased regional presence of grazing herbivores (possibly reindeer) between ~ AD 800 and 1100. Sami activity in the parish of Lycksele has been suggested by rich metal finds dated to ~ AD 1000–1350 and they may have been attracted by an abundance of reindeer.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Patterns in the occupancy and abundance of the globally rare lichen Erioderma pedicellatum in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska.
- Author
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Stehn, Sarah E., Nelson, Peter R., Roland, Carl A., and Jones, Jennifer R.
- Subjects
ERIODERMA ,EPIPHYTIC lichens ,HABITATS ,WHITE spruce ,ALASKA paper birch ,BLACK cottonwood - Abstract
We investigated habitat attributes related to the occupancy of the globally rare and endangered epiphytic lichen, Erioderma pedicellatum, in a newly discovered (2009) population center in Denali National Park and Preserve (DNPP), Alaska. We measured forest, tree and epiphytic lichen community characteristics on eighty-five systematically selected plots in four study areas. We aggregated these data at three spatial scales (tree, plot and study area) at which to compare E. pedicellatum occupancy (probability of occurrence) and abundance to environmental covariates. We observed 2,035 E. pedicellatum thalli on 278 individual Picea glauca stems. The species occurred in 61% of the plots measured. Occupancy of E. pedicellatum at the individual tree-scale was influenced by stem diameter, study area, live crown length, plot P. glauca basal area, plot canopy cover and distance to open water. Our models for E. pedicellatum occupancy at the plot-scale identified study area, P. glauca density, deciduous basal area (Betula neoalaskana and Populus trichocarpa), and tall shrub cover (≥ 200 cm in height) as significant covariates. Our estimates of the DNPP population size increase the world population by at least tenfold to approximately 100,000 thalli. We suggest important topics for further research on E. pedicellatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. Comparison of the understory vegetation in boreal forest types of southwest Quebec.
- Author
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Légaré, Sonia, Bergeron, Yves, Leduc, Alain, and Paré, David
- Subjects
FORESTS & forestry ,PLANT canopies ,JACK pine ,PAPER birch ,TAIGAS - Abstract
Variation in canopy composition can influence ecosystem processes, such as nutrient cycling and light transmittance, even when environmental soil conditions are similar. To determine whether forest cover type influences species composition of the understory vegetation (herbs and shrubs), the composition of this layer was studied on two different surface deposits, clay and till, and under four different forest cover types dominated, respectively, by Populus tremuloïdes Michx. (aspen), Betula papyrifera Marsh. (white birch), Pinus banksiana Lamb. (jack pine), and Picea glauca (Moench) Voss – Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. (spruce–fir) over similar environmental conditions. Detrended correspondence analysis and analysis of variance performed on the ordination scores revealed that understory plant composition was highly affected by surface deposit and forest cover. The gradient observed in the correspondence analysis proceeds from aspen, white birch, spruce–fir, to jack pine. Indicator species were identified for each surface deposit and cover type, and most of them were associated with either jack pine or aspen. The richness, evenness, and diversity of the understory vegetation did not vary between cover types, but were affected by surface deposit. By controlling ecosystem processes such as light transmittance and nutrient cycling, forest cover influences understory composition.Key words: cover, understory, composition, boreal forest, environmental condition.La composition du peuplement peut affecter les processus écosystémiques, tels que le cycle des éléments nutritifs et la transmission lumineuse, malgré la présence de conditions environnementales similaires. Afin de vérifier si le couvert arborescent influence la composition de la strate de sous-bois, des relevés de la végétation herbacée et arbustive ont été effectués dans des conditions environnementales détendancées similaires, incluant deux dépôts de surface différents, till et argile, et quatre couverts forestiers dominés respectivement par les Populus tremuloïdes Michx. (peuplier faux-tremble), Betula papyrifera Marsh. (bouleau blanc), Pinus banksiana Lamb. (pin gris) et Picea glauca (Moench) Voss et Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. (épinette–sapin). L'analyse des correspondances détendancées et l'analyse de variance effectuées sur les coordonnées des axes de l'ordination révèlent un effet du dépôt de surface et du couvert arborescent. Le gradient observé en analyse des correspondances va du peuplier faux-tremble, bouleau blanc, mélange de conifères, au pin gris. Des espèces indicatrices ont été identifiées pour chacun des dépôts de surface et couverts forestiers, et la majorité d'entre-elles étaient associées soit au pin gris soit au peuplier faux-tremble. La richesse, l'équitabilité et la diversité de la strate de sous-bois ne varient pas en fonction du couvert forestier, mais sont significativement affectées par le dépôt de surface. Les différents processus écosystémiques, tels que la transmission de la lumière et le cycle des éléments nutritifs, semblent expliquer l'influence du couvert forestier sur la composition de la strate de sous-bois.Mots clés : couvert, sous-bois, composition, forêt boréale, condition environnementale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2001
18. Standardised spider (Arachnida, Araneae) inventory of Lammi, Finland
- Author
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Sonja Jalonen, Filipe Chichorro, Tuuli Korhonen, Saija Leinonen, Arttu Soukainen, Pedro Cardoso, Tero Salonen, Niina Kiljunen, Jaakko Kuurne, Veikko Yrjölä, Timo Pajunen, Joni Saarinen, Nelli Koskivirta, Caroline Sayuri Fukushima, Zoology, and Finnish Museum of Natural History
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Fauna ,Biodiversity & Conservation ,Biodiversity ,01 natural sciences ,Thelyphonida ,Bilateria ,lcsh:QH301-705.5 ,näytteenotto ,Finland ,COBRA ,lajistokartoitus ,FAUNA ,Ecology ,biology ,Cephalornis ,Data Paper (Biosciences) ,boreaalinen vyöhyke ,Biogeography ,1181 Ecology, evolutionary biology ,Araneae ,Chasmataspidida ,hämähäkit ,Neogene ,Thomisidae ,Coelenterata ,sampling ,Arthropoda ,Nephrozoa ,Protostomia ,Zoology ,Theridiidae ,Circumscriptional names of the taxon under ,010603 evolutionary biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Arachnida ,Animalia ,boreal forest ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Pardosa ,Spider ,biology.organism_classification ,Linyphiidae ,030104 developmental biology ,lcsh:Biology (General) ,Notchia ,Zoology & Animal Biology ,Ecdysozoa ,Neriene peltata - Abstract
In June 2019, an ecology field course of the University of Helsinki was held at Lammi Biological Station, Southern Finland. Within this course, the students familiarised themselves with field work and identification of spiders and explored the diversity of species in the area. Three sampling plots were chosen, one in grassland and two in boreal forest, to demonstrate the sampling techniques and, by applying a standardised protocol (COBRA), contribute to a global spider biodiversity project. The collected samples contained a total of 3445 spiders, of which 1956 (57%) were adult. Only adult spiders were accounted for in the inventory due to the impossibility of identification of juveniles. A total of 115 species belonging to 17 families were identified, of which the majority (58 species, 50%) were Linyphiidae. Lycosidae and Theridiidae both had 11 species (10%) and all the other families had seven or fewer species. Linyphiidae were also dominant in terms of adult individuals captured, with 756 (39%), followed by 705 (36%) Lycosidae. Other families with more than 100 individuals were Thomisidae (196, 10%) and Tetragnathidae (102, 5%). The most abundant species were the lycosids Pardosa fulvipes (362, 19%) and Pardosa riparia (290, 15%) and the linyphiid Neriene peltata (123, 6%).
- Published
- 2020
19. Nitrogen acquisition and competitive ability of Kalmia angustifolia L., paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) seedlings grown on different humus forms
- Author
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Titus, B. D., Bradley, R. L., and Fryles, J. W.
- Subjects
PAPER birch ,SHEEP laurel ,FOREST health ,BLACK spruce ,TAIGAS - Abstract
Two species of boreal tree seedlings, paper birch (Betula papyriferaMarsh.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), and the ericaceous shrub Kalmia angustifolia L. were grown in pots with humus from a birch-dominated site and two spruce-Kalmia sites. Root systems interacted with humus form in controlling soil-N cycling as well as energy and nutritional deficiencies of soil microorganisms. In general,Kalmia seedlings affected microbial dynamics and N cycling differently than birch and spruce seedlings did. Birch and spruce seedlings reduced gross N mineralization and immobilization rates, soil mineral-Npools and the amounts of NH
+ 4 -N accreted on buried cation exchange resins in all three soils. Compared to birch andspruce seedlings, the growth of Kalmia resulted in significantly higher gross N mineralization rates, soil mineral-N pools and resin-NH+ 4 accretion in soil from the fertile birch site.Gross N immobilization rates in all soils were generally higher withKalmia than with spruce or birch seedlings. All three species of seedlings acquired N from the birch site soil, whereas only Kalmia seedlings acquired N from the two spruce-Kalmia site soils. Relative to control treatments, the amount of N mineralized anaerobically increasedin the birch-site soil and decreased in the poor spruce-Kalmia site soil with all three species of seedlings. All seedlings increased themicrobial biomass in the birch-site soil. Kalmia humus and Kalmia root systems increased microbial energy-deficiency and decreased microbial nutritional deficiency compared to the other humus and seedlings used. Results are discussed in terms of each species' nutrient acquisition mechanism and its competitive ability during secondary succession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 1997
20. Low soil temperature reduces the positive effects of high nutrient supply on the growth and biomass of white birch seedlings in ambient and elevated carbon dioxide concentrations.
- Author
-
Ambebe, Titus Fondo, Qing-Lai Dang, and Marfo, Jacob
- Subjects
SOIL temperature ,PLANT nutrients ,PAPER birch ,ATMOSPHERIC carbon dioxide & the environment ,BIOMASS ,GLOBAL environmental change - Abstract
Copyright of Botany is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Wildfire promotes broadleaves and species mixture in boreal forest.
- Author
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Chen, Han Y.H., Vasiliauskas, Stan, Kayahara, Gordon J., and Ilisson, Triin
- Subjects
FOREST management ,POST-fire forests ,TAIGAS ,WILDFIRES & the environment ,FOREST regeneration ,BALSAM fir ,POPLARS ,PAPER birch ,JACK pine - Abstract
Abstract: Postfire tree species compositions are predicted to be the same prior to fire according to the direct regeneration hypothesis (DRH). We studied 94 upland boreal forest stands between 5 and 18 years after fire in Ontario, Canada. Postfire species-specific regeneration density was positively related to prefire stand basal area for Pinus banksiana, Populus spp., Betula papyrifera and Picea mariana, but not for Picea glauca and Abies balsamea. In addition, seedling density of Populus spp., B. papyrifera, P. mariana, P. glauca and A. balsamea were positively affected by build up index and, except Populus spp., their density increased with age of burn. To facilitate testing the DRH, we introduced a term called compositional difference (CD) that is the difference in a species relative percentage between the postfire and prefire stand. The testable null hypothesis is CD=0 for a given species. CD was not different from 0 for P. banksiana, was 19.8% for Populus spp., 10.4% for B. papyrifera, −17.9% for P. mariana, −14.6% for P. glauca, and −14.9% for A. balsamea, indicating fire increases broadleaves at the expenses of mid- and late-successional coniferous species. Compositional increases of Populus spp. and B. papyrifera in postfire stands occurred mostly where these species were a minor component prior to fire. In conclusion, the DRH was supported by the specific positive relationships between postfire regeneration densities and prefire basal area for P. banksiana, Populus spp., B. papyrifera and P. mariana. However, if the DRH is used for predicting postfire composition, P. banksiana is the only species that had the same composition between postfire and prefire stands. Nevertheless, CD for P. banksiana was negatively related to its prefire composition. Similarly, CD for other species was negatively related to their prefire compositions with varying effects of build up index and age of burn. Our results suggest, if fire occurrences increase with global change, the boreal landscape will be more dominated by hardwoods and mixtures of conifers and hardwoods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. The communities of terrestrial macrofungi in different forest types in vicinities of Khanty-Mansiysk (middle taiga zone of West Siberia)
- Author
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T. M. Bulyonkova and Nina V. Filippova
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Agaricomycetes ,Biodiversity ,Survey result ,Ecological succession ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Floristics & Distribution ,West Siberia ,Asian Russia ,Abundance (ecology) ,IUCN Red List ,macrofungi ,boreal forest ,Khanty ,lcsh:QH301-705.5 ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,biodiversity ,Ecology ,Basidiomycota ,Taiga ,Fungi ,Community structure ,language.human_language ,Geography ,funga ,lcsh:Biology (General) ,language ,Physical geography ,Taxonomic Paper ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Background The diversity of macrofungi in the vicinities of Khanty-Mansiysk (Yugra, Russia) was surveyed using a method of permanent sampling plots. Ten plots, each consisting of a number of micro-plots, were established in several different communities ranging from old-growth mixed taiga forest to its derivatives in cutting succession and bogged areas. For more complete registration of the mycota, plots were supplemented with random walking routes directly nearby. Survey results were subjected to various quantitative analyses which allowed not only to evaluate the diversity of fungi but also to obtain valuable information on occurrence, abundance and ecology of individual species as well as community structure and its dynamics in the course of ecological succession. The paper reports the results of the first year of observations. New information 460 species of terrestrial macrofungi revealed in a poorly explored area in middle taiga of West Siberia. The plot-based study revealed differences between communities of terrestrial macrofungi of old coniferous forests, their after-cutting secondary formations and bogged stages. The survey allowed to reveal records of 3 species listed in the Red Data Book of Russia and 9 species listed in the Red Data Book of Yugra.
- Published
- 2017
23. Shifts in Ecological Legacies Support Hysteresis of Stand Type Conversions in Boreal Forests.
- Author
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Walker, X. J., Okano, K., Berner, L. T., Massey, R., Goetz, S. J., Johnstone, J. F., and Mack, M. C.
- Subjects
TAIGAS ,FOREST conversion ,CLIMATE feedbacks ,DECIDUOUS plants ,HYSTERESIS ,ECOLOGICAL regime shifts - Abstract
Many disturbances are shifting in severity, frequency, and extent due to changing climate and human activities. Altered disturbance regimes can trigger shifts in ecosystem state where recovery to the pre-disturbance ecosystem is uncertain. In the western North American boreal forest, the intensification of wildfire can cause canopy dominance to switch from black spruce (Picea mariana) to deciduous trees such as Alaska paper birch (Betula neoalaskana) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides). Understanding the key mechanisms that determine the resilience and stability of these alternative community types is required for the prediction of future forest dynamics. Here, we assess patterns of post-fire tree recovery across a pre-fire gradient of spruce- to deciduous-dominated forests in Interior Alaska and quantify compositional and environmental thresholds that support the resilience of alternative canopy types. We found post-fire organic soil depth of stands on a recovery trajectory to deciduous dominance (7.3 ± 5.5 cm) were similar regardless of pre-fire composition and significantly shallower than spruce (14.9 ± 9.0 cm) or mixed trajectories (10.4 ± 5.9 cm). Deciduous-dominated stands were highly resilient to fire, as 100% remained deciduous-dominated post-fire. Even when deciduous trees only accounted for a small proportion (12%) of the pre-fire stand, deciduous trees often became dominant after wildfire. We conclude that the establishment of deciduous bud banks and seed sources creates a strong hysteresis in stand recovery that reinforces the resilience of deciduous-dominated boreal forests to wildfire. Accounting for the resilience of this alternative stable state to wildfire suggests that shifts from spruce to deciduous dominance caused by shifting wildfire will have long-term effects on future structure and function of boreal forests and vegetation feedbacks to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Evaluation of xylem maturation and among-site variation in the anatomical characteristics of Betula platyphylla growing naturally in Mongolia.
- Author
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Erdene-Ochir, Togtokhbayar, Ishiguri, Futoshi, Nezu, Ikumi, Tumenjargal, Bayasaa, Baasan, Bayartsetseg, Chultem, Ganbaatar, Ohshima, Jyunichi, and Yokota, Shinso
- Subjects
ANATOMICAL variation ,XYLEM ,TREE growth ,BIRCH ,WOOD ,TREE breeding ,WOOD-pulp - Abstract
Summary: Betula platyphylla Sukaczev, a fast-growing pioneer tree, is an important species for wood resources in boreal regions and steppe areas in Mongolia. We examined the anatomy and maturation of wood in 30 B. platyphylla trees growing in natural populations in three different sites in Mandal, Selenge, Mongolia to clarify the relationship between tree growth and wood formation. Core samples, 5 mm in diameter, were collected from 30 trees with the mean stem diameter at each site. The radial variations in the anatomical characteristics were evaluated using linear or nonlinear mixed-effects models. Almost all measured anatomical characteristics increased from the pith to the bark. Fiber length showed an annual increase of over 1% up to about the 20th annual ring from the pith, beyond which the increase was less than 1%, suggesting that xylem maturation started around the 20th annual ring. The growth rate at the early growth stage did not affect the annual ring number where xylem maturation began. The linear mixed-effects model revealed a site variation in wood fiber wall thickness. Thus, in combination with previous research results with this species, we believe that the selection of superior trees with thicker fiber walls might be possible for future tree breeding programs aimed at improving wood quality for pulp and paper raw materials and the production of solid wood and wood-based materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Standardized spider (Arachnida, Araneae) inventory of Hankoniemi, Finland
- Author
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Timo Pajunen, Joel Jalkanen, Xuan Zhou, Laura Mattila, Jukka-Pekka Ranki, Anni Virolainen, Joni Ollonen, Matti Leponiemi, Pedro Cardoso, Minna Kohonen, Lea Heikkinen, Zoology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, Environmental Sciences, and Biosciences
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,sampling ,Arthropoda ,Fauna ,Biodiversity & Conservation ,Nephrozoa ,Theridiidae ,Protostomia ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Red List Index ,Circumscriptional names of the taxon under ,Alopecosa ,Arachnida ,Thelyphonida ,Animalia ,Bilateria ,14. Life underwater ,boreal forest ,lcsh:QH301-705.5 ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Finland ,COBRA ,Spider ,Spider taxonomy ,Ecology ,biology ,FAUNA ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,RED-LIST INDEX ,Cephalornis ,biology.organism_classification ,Data Paper (Biosciences) ,Linyphiidae ,Geography ,lcsh:Biology (General) ,Notchia ,1181 Ecology, evolutionary biology ,Araneae ,Ecdysozoa ,Chasmataspidida ,Neriene peltata ,Coelenterata - Abstract
During a field course on spider taxonomy and ecology at the University of Helsinki, the authors had the opportunity to sample four plots with a dual objective of both teaching on field methods, spider identification and behaviour and uncovering the spider diversity patterns found in the southern coastal forests of Hankoniemi, Finland. As an ultimate goal, this field course intended to contribute to a global project that intends to uncover spider diversity patterns worldwide. With that purpose, a set of standardised methods and procedures was followed that allow the comparability of obtained data with numerous other projects being conducted across all continents. A total of 104 species and 1997 adults was collected. Of these, 41 species (39%) were Linyphiidae and 13 (12%) Theridiidae. All other families had 6 or less species represented. Linyphiidae were also dominant in terms of adult individuals captured, with 1015 (51%), followed by 428 (21%) Lycosidae, 158 (8%) Tetragnathidae and 145 (7%) Theridiidae. All other families had less than 100 individuals. The most abundant species were Neriene peltata, Alopecosa taeniata, Piratula hygrophila and Dismodicus elevatus, all with more than 100 individuals. All sites had between 56 and 62 species and between 445 and 569 individuals.
- Published
- 2017
26. The post-fire shift of temperate white pine-birch forest to boreal balsam fir forest in eastern Canada: climate-fire implications.
- Author
-
Payette, Serge, Frégeau, Mathieu, Couillard, Pierre-Luc, and Laflamme, Jason
- Subjects
BALSAM fir ,TAIGAS ,PLANT identification ,WHITE pine ,CLIMATE change - Abstract
Copyright of Botany is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Woody species response to altered herbivore pressure at Isle Royale National Park.
- Author
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Sanders, Suzanne and Kirschbaum, Jessica
- Subjects
POPULUS tremuloides ,ASPEN (Trees) ,WHITE spruce ,SPECIES ,HERBIVORES ,WOODY plants - Abstract
Herbivores shape vegetative communities via numerous mechanisms, including browse. We used vegetation monitoring data from Isle Royale National Park to examine woody species change across a nine‐year interval, coinciding with herbivore escalation. Here, moose and snowshoe hare are the dominant herbivores, while the gray wolf is the apex predator. Our initial sampling period (2010) followed six years of low moose abundance, while our second sampling event (2019) followed a nine‐year escalation in moose density. We tested for change in both saplings and shrubs and compared diameter size distributions of common tree species in three island sections. We found a decline in large saplings of sugar maple, a species limited to the west section of the island. We also saw declines in small saplings of sugar maple, paper birch, and trembling aspen. For some species, including black spruce and white spruce, taxa that are unpalatable to moose, diameter distributions were proportionally larger (i.e., indicative of fewer small individuals) in 2019 than in 2010. In contrast, diameter distributions of black ash in the central section and trembling aspen in the central and east sections of the island were proportionally smaller (indicative of more small individuals) in 2019 than in 2010. We found that ~50% of common shrub taxa were more abundant during the second sampling event, while none declined. Our work here brings to light several unanticipated results. While we demonstrated partial recovery of trembling aspen, likely originating during the earlier period of low moose abundance, our results suggest further changes may be attributable to other island herbivores. The response of black ash, a hydric species, may be stemming from a sixfold increase in active beaver sites, while that of spruce may be attributable to a historic spike in snowshoe hare density. We currently have only a limited understanding of the impacts of the island's lesser studied herbivores on overstory regeneration. Further research on these linkages can inform decisions addressing controls on forest structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Regional variation in the distribution of patterned fens in the montane-boreal regions of Alberta, Canada
- Author
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Vitt, Dale H., House, Melissa, and Glaeser, Lilyan C.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Detecting the Archaeological Traces of Tar Production Kilns in the Northern Boreal Forests Based on Airborne Laser Scanning and Deep Learning.
- Author
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Anttiroiko, Niko, Groesz, Floris Jan, Ikäheimo, Janne, Kelloniemi, Aleksi, Nurmi, Risto, Rostad, Stian, and Seitsonen, Oula
- Subjects
AIRBORNE lasers ,TAIGAS ,DEEP learning ,MACHINE learning ,PROTECTION of cultural property ,TAR - Abstract
This paper presents the development and application of a deep learning-based approach for semi-automated detection of tar production kilns using new Finnish high-density Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data in the boreal taiga forest zone. The historical significance of tar production, an important livelihood for centuries, has had extensive environmental and ecological impacts, particularly in the thinly inhabited northern and eastern parts of Finland. Despite being one of the most widespread archaeological features in the country, tar kilns have received relatively little attention until recently. The authors employed a Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) U-Net-based algorithm to detect these features from the ALS data, which proved to be more accurate, faster, and capable of covering systematically larger spatial areas than human actors. It also produces more consistent, replicable, and ethically sustainable results. This semi-automated approach enabled the efficient location of a vast number of previously unknown archaeological features, significantly increasing the number of tar kilns in each study area compared to the previous situation. This has implications also for the cultural resource management in Finland. The authors' findings have influenced the preparation of the renewal of the Finnish Antiquities Act, raising concerns about the perceived impacts on cultural heritage management and land use sectors due to the projected tenfold increase in archaeological site detection using deep learning algorithms. The use of environmental remote sensing data may provide a means of examining the long-term cultural and ecological impacts of tar production in greater detail. Our pilot studies suggest that artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques have the potential to revolutionize archaeological research and cultural resource management in Finland, offering promising avenues for future exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Tree species, crown cover, and age as determinants of the vertical distribution of airborne LiDAR returns.
- Author
-
Racine, Etienne B., Coops, Nicholas C., Bégin, Jean, and Myllymäki, Mari
- Abstract
Key message: We assessed even-aged stand vertical distributions of LiDAR returns and found that tree species, age, and crown cover each have a distinct pattern that together explains up to 47% of the variation. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) provides information on the vertical structure of forest stands enabling detailed and extensive ecosystem study. The vertical structure is often summarized by scalar features and data-reduction techniques that limit the interpretation of results. Instead, we quantified the influence of three variables, species, crown cover, and age, on the vertical distribution of airborne LiDAR returns from forest stands. We studied 5428 regular, even-aged stands in Quebec (Canada) with five dominant species: balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.], paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh), black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP], white spruce (Picea glauca Moench) and aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). We modeled the vertical distribution against the three variables using a functional general linear model and a novel nonparametric graphical test of significance. Results indicate that LiDAR returns from aspen stands had the most uniform vertical distribution. Balsam fir and white birch distributions were similar and centered at around 50% of the stand height, and black spruce and white spruce distributions were skewed to below 30% of stand height (p <0.001). Increased crown cover concentrated the distributions around 50% of stand height. Increasing age gradually shifted the distributions higher in the stand for stands younger than 70-years, before plateauing and slowly declining at 90–120 years. Results suggest that the vertical distributions of LiDAR returns depend on the three variables studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Fire-Induced Alterations of Soil Properties in Albic Podzols Developed under Pine Forests (Middle Taiga, Krasnoyarsky Kray).
- Author
-
Dymov, Alexey A., Startsev, Viktor V., Yakovleva, Evgenia V., Dubrovskiy, Yurii A., Milanovsky, Evgenii Yu., Severgina, Dariy A., Panov, Alexey V., and Prokushkin, Anatoly S.
- Subjects
TAIGAS ,SCOTS pine ,POLYCYCLIC aromatic hydrocarbons ,FOREST fires ,PINE ,FOREST soils - Abstract
Fires are one of the most widespread factors of changes in the ecosystems of boreal forests. The paper presents the results of a study of the morphological and physicochemical properties and soil organic matter (SOM) of Albic Podzols under pine forests (Pinus sylvestris L.) of the middle taiga zone of Siberia (Krasnoyrsky kray) with various time passed after a surface fire (from 1 to 121 years ago). The influence of forest fires in the early years on the chemical properties of Albic Podzols includes a decrease in acidity, a decrease in the content of water-soluble compounds of carbon and nitrogen and an increase in the content of light polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in organic and upper mineral horizons. Podzols of pine forests that were affected by fires more than forty-five years ago are close to manure forest soils according to most physical and chemical properties. Significant correlations were found between the thickness (r = 0.75, p < 0.05), the moisture content (r = 0.90, p < 0.05) of organic horizons and the content of ∑PAHs in the organic horizon (r = −0.71, p < 0.05) with the time elapsed after the fire (i.e., from 1 to 121 years). The index of the age of pyrogenic activity (IPA) calculated as the ratio of ∑ PAHs content in the organic horizon to ∑ PAHs at the upper mineral horizon is significantly higher in forests affected by fires from 1 to 23 years than for plots with «older» fires (45–121 years). Thus, the article presents the conserved and most changing factors under the impact of fires in the boreal forests of Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Cascading effects: insights from the U.S. Long Term Ecological Research Network.
- Author
-
Bahlai, Christie A., Hart, Clarisse, Kavanaugh, Maria T., White, Jeffrey D., Ruess, Roger W., Brinkman, Todd J., Ducklow, Hugh W., Foster, David R., Fraser, William R., Genet, Hélène, Groffman, Peter M., Hamilton, Stephen K., Johnstone, Jill F., Kielland, Knut, Landis, Douglas A., Mack, Michelle C., Sarnelle, Orlando, and Thompson, Jonathan R.
- Subjects
TEMPERATE forests ,ZEBRA mussel ,WILDLIFE conservation ,LADYBUGS ,INTRODUCED species ,TROPHIC cascades ,FOREST fire ecology - Abstract
Ecosystems across the United States are changing in complex and unpredictable ways and analysis of these changes requires coordinated, long‐term research. This paper is a product of a synthesis effort of the U.S. National Science Foundation funded Long‐Term Ecological Research (LTER) network addressing the LTER core research area of "populations and communities." This analysis revealed that each LTER site had at least one compelling "story" about what their site would look like in 50–100 yr. As the stories were prepared, themes emerged, and the stories were group into papers along five themes: state change, connectivity, resilience, time lags, and cascading effects. This paper addresses the cascading effects theme and includes stories from the Bonanza Creek (boreal), Kellogg Biological Station (agricultural and freshwater), Palmer (Antarctica), and Harvard Forest (temperate forest) LTER sites. We define cascading effects very broadly to include a wide array of unforeseen chains of events that result from a variety of actions or changes in a system. While climate change is having important direct effects on boreal forests, indirect effects mediated by fire activity—severity, size, and return interval—have large cascading effects over the long term. In northeastern temperate forests, legacies of human management and disturbance affect the composition of current forests, which creates a cascade of effects that interact with the climate‐facilitated invasion of an exotic pest. In Antarctica, declining sea ice creates a cascade of effects including declines in Adèlie and increases in Gentoo penguins, changes in phytoplankton, and consequent changes in zooplankton populations. An invasion of an exotic species of lady beetle is likely to have important future effects on pest control and conservation of native species in agricultural landscapes. New studies of zebra mussels, a well‐studied invader, have established links between climate, the heat tolerance of the mussels, and harmful algal blooms. Collectively, these stories highlight the need for long‐term studies to sort out the complexities of different types of ecological cascades. The diversity of sites within the LTER network facilitates the emergence of overarching concepts about trophic interactions as an important driver of ecosystem structure, function, services, and futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Macrocharcoal Signals in Histosols Reveal Wildfire History of Vast Western Siberian Forest-Peatland Complexes.
- Author
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Startsev, Viktor, Gorbach, Nikolay, Mazur, Anton, Prokushkin, Anatoly, Karpenko, Lyudmila, and Dymov, Alexey
- Subjects
HISTOSOLS ,PEAT soils ,POLYCYCLIC aromatic hydrocarbons ,CLIMATE change ,RADIOCARBON dating ,BOGS - Abstract
Fires are a naturally cyclical factor regulating ecosystems' function and forming new postfire ecosystems. Peat soils are unique archives that store information about ecological and climatic changes and the history of past fires during the Holocene. The paper presents a reconstruction of the dynamics of fires in the subzone of the middle taiga of Western Siberia in the Holocene. Data on fires were obtained based on the results of a study of the content of macroscopic coal particles and radiocarbon dating. The effect of fires on soil organic matter (SOM) was estimated using
13 C NMR spectroscopy and the content of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). It is shown that throughout the Holocene, the peatlands studied were prone to fires. The conducted analyses show that the maximum content of charcoal particles is observed in the Atlantic (~9100–5800 cal. B.P.) and Subatlantic (~3100 cal. B.P. to the present) periods. The high correlation dependence of the content of coals with the content of PAHs (r = 0.56, p < 0.05) and aromatic structures of SOM (r = 0.61, p < 0.05) in peat horizons is shown, which can characterize these parameters as a reliable marker of pyrogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Simulation of Smoldering Combustion of Organic Horizons at Pine and Spruce Boreal Forests with Lab-Heating Experiments.
- Author
-
Gorbach, Nikolay, Startsev, Viktor, Mazur, Anton, Milanovskiy, Evgeniy, Prokushkin, Anatoly, and Dymov, Alexey
- Abstract
Wildfire is a threat for many boreal ecosystems and induces deep modifications in organic horizons. In this paper, we have considered fire-induced changes to the organic horizon properties. The effect of fire was studied by using a forest litter burning experiment. Sample heating was performed in the lab at fixed temperatures (200, 300 and 500 °C), on a set of O horizons developed under pine (Flavocetraria-Pinetum association) and spruce (Piceetum hylocomium splendens association) forest litters. Litters were analyzed in terms of pH, specific electrical conductivity, specific surface area, total carbon (C
tot ) and nitrogen (Ntot ) content, water-soluble carbon and nitrogen, δ13 C and δ15 N stable isotope analysis and13 C NMR spectroscopy. The mean pH values increased from ~5 to ~8.2 with an increase in the influence of temperature. The specific electrical conductivity and specific surface area properties increased as well from ~255 to ~432 and from 0.42 to 1.84, respectively. Ctot and Ntot decreased, but at the same time the inorganic carbon content increased. The aromaticity of organic matter after the fire increased. The results of the present study show that organic horizons are changed by wildfire and this discussion made it clear to help with the understanding how fire affects organic matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Differences in Ecosystem Carbon Distribution and Nutrient Cycling Linked to Forest Tree Species Composition in a Mid-Successional Boreal Forest.
- Author
-
Melvin, April, Mack, Michelle, Johnstone, Jill, David McGuire, A., Genet, Helene, and Schuur, Edward
- Subjects
NUTRIENT cycles ,TAIGA ecology ,CLIMATE change ,CARBON in soils ,CARBON isotopes ,BLACK spruce ,COMPOSITION of trees - Abstract
In the boreal forest of Alaska, increased fire severity associated with climate change is expanding deciduous forest cover in areas previously dominated by black spruce ( Picea mariana). Needle-leaf conifer and broad-leaf deciduous species are commonly associated with differences in tree growth, carbon (C) and nutrient cycling, and C accumulation in soils. Although this suggests that changes in tree species composition in Alaska could impact C and nutrient pools and fluxes, few studies have measured these linkages. We quantified C, nitrogen, phosphorus, and base cation pools and fluxes in three stands of black spruce and Alaska paper birch ( Betula neoalaskana) that established following a single fire event in 1958. Paper birch consistently displayed characteristics of more rapid C and nutrient cycling, including greater aboveground net primary productivity, higher live foliage and litter nutrient concentrations, and larger ammonium and nitrate pools in the soil organic layer (SOL). Ecosystem C stocks (aboveground + SOL + 0-10 cm mineral soil) were similar for the two species; however, in black spruce, 78% of measured C was found in soil pools, primarily in the SOL, whereas aboveground biomass dominated ecosystem C pools in birch forest. Radiocarbon analysis indicated that approximately one-quarter of the black spruce SOL C accumulated prior to the 1958 fire, whereas no pre-fire C was observed in birch soils. Our findings suggest that tree species exert a strong influence over C and nutrient cycling in boreal forest and forest compositional shifts may have long-term implications for ecosystem C and nutrient dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Simulating the Long-Term Response of Forest Succession to Climate Change in the Boreal Forest of Northern Ontario, Canada
- Author
-
Guy R. Larocque, F. Wayne Bell, Eric B. Searle, Stephen J. Mayor, Thomas Schiks, and Parvin Kalantari
- Subjects
gap model ,boreal forest ,climate change ,forest modeling ,growth and yield ,Plant ecology ,QK900-989 - Abstract
The effect of climate change on forest dynamics is likely to increase in importance in the forthcoming decades. For this reason, it is essential to predict the extent to which changes in temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric CO2 might affect the development of forest ecosystems and successional pathways. The gap model ZELIG-CFS was used to simulate the potential long-term effects of climate change on species-specific annual change in mean basal area and stand density under two scenarios of representative concentration pathways (RCP), 4.5 and 8.5, for the boreal forest region of Ontario, Canada, where mean temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric CO2 are expected to increase. Forest ecosystems in this boreal region included pure and mixed stands of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss), northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.), American larch (Larix laricina [Du Roi] K. Koch), and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.). Simulation results under climate change generally predicted a decline in the basal area and stand density for black spruce, balsam fir, jack pine, and white spruce, but an increase for paper birch, trembling aspen, American larch, and balsam poplar. However, the extent of change differed regionally among species. Forest composition is expected to change over the long term. Simulation results indicated that shade-intolerant deciduous and conifer species will increase their dominance over the 100-year time horizon. This transition toward the increasing presence of deciduous forests is likely explained by more favorable temperature conditions for their growth and development.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. The process of vegetation recovery and burn probability changes in post-burn boreal forests in northeast China.
- Author
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Zong, Xuezheng and Tian, Xiaorui
- Subjects
TAIGAS ,FOREST fire ecology ,ECOLOGICAL succession ,SOIL depth ,FIRE prevention ,PROBABILITY theory - Abstract
Background: Repeated fires may slow the recovery process in burned areas, thus affecting ecological succession. Aims: This paper explores the changes in likelihood of reburn and fire behaviours in various phases of vegetation recovery. Methods: We used field survey data and the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) to assess vegetation recovery in boreal forests after fires at both landscape and field scales. The Burn-P3 model was used to simulate burn probability and fire behaviours and then evaluate the overall fire likelihood and potential behaviours in different recovery phases. Key results: Vegetation began to recover in most burned areas within the first year after fire and reached prefire levels after 10–15 years of recovery. Vegetation in areas with steep slopes (>25°) and thin soil had not recovered after 20 years, accounting for 0.3% of the total burned area. The average burn probability and fire behaviour indices of the study area decreased significantly after fire owing to lower fuel levels. Conclusions: Burned areas with steep slopes and thin soil showed slower recovery rates after fire. The recovered vegetation in most burned areas still had low burn likelihood and fire behaviours 20 years post burn. Implications: Artificial regeneration and fire prevention should be carried out at highly vulnerable sites for rehabilitating forest ecosystems. The recovery process and corresponding fire likelihood of post-burn boreal forests were identified. Soil depth and slope played important roles in vegetation recovery. Most burned areas recovered and showed low burn probability 20 years post burn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. The seasonality of non-structural carbohydrates in mature boreal Betula papyrifera and potential constraints in their remobilization
- Author
-
Fermaniuk, Coral
- Subjects
- non-structural carbohydrates, boreal forest, paper birch, girdling, whole-tree NSC storage, seasonal dynamics, NSC remobilization
- Abstract
Abstract: Assimilated non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) can be stored as reserves in plants and remobilized during periods of asynchrony between carbon acquisition and carbon demand to fuel essential metabolic functions and growth. However, the framework of NSC allocation to reserves and their remobilization remains unclear, especially for mature trees which potentially can store large quantities of reserves. Here, I characterize the seasonal dynamics of NSC reserves in mature boreal Betula papyrifera and relate them to seasonal growth processes (first study), as well as determine the patterns and potential constraints of between-organ reserve remobilization. I used different patterns of stem phloem girdling to separate crown, stem and root NSC storage and their remobilization in response to induced C stress (second study). In the first study, I found that whole-tree NSC pools increased seasonally by 72% from a spring minimum to a maximum during late summer bud-set — greatly exceeding the relative change in reserves reported for more temperate conspecifics. At the organ level, the branches were the largest and most dynamic storage pool, suggesting that storage changes at the branch level largely drive whole-tree storage dynamics in these trees. In the second study, I found evidence that the crown of birch trees could store nearly double the reserves of what was observed under normal conditions, and that the stored NSC in the stem may not be universally available for remobilization to other organs (here roots) under C stress. Together, these results suggest that seasonal NSC allocation patterns appear to be highly regulated to ensure adequate distribution (allocation) of NSC to reserves throughout organs over time to support organ-level processes — however, if organs are constrained by carbon limitations, it appears that the remobilization of the organ reserve storage pools are regulated somewhat autonomously which could potentially limit the sharing of reserves within the large organism.
- Published
- 2023
39. Swift recovery of Sphagnum nutrient concentrations after excess supply
- Author
-
Juul Limpens and Monique M. P. D. Heijmans
- Subjects
Time Factors ,Peat ,Nitrogen ,growth ,Translocation ,chemistry.chemical_element ,Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation ,atmospheric nitrogen deposition ,Nitrogen deposition ,Sphagnum ,mosses ,Nutrient ,Animal science ,vegetation ,Botany ,Sphagnopsida ,boreal forest ,vascular plants ,Bog ,Ecosystem ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Plant Stems ,biology ,Phosphorus ,Global Change Ecology - Original Paper ,phosphorus availability ,biology.organism_classification ,PE&RC ,Sphagnum magellanicum ,Sphagnum fallax ,chemistry ,bog ,fertilization ,Ecosystem recovery ,Nutrient allocation ,Plantenecologie en Natuurbeheer ,resorption - Abstract
Although numerous studies have addressed the effects of increased N deposition on nutrient-poor environments such as raised bogs, few studies have dealt with to what extent, and on what time-scale, reductions in atmospheric N supply would lead to recovery of the ecosystems in question. Since a considerable part of the negative effects of elevated N deposition on raised bogs can be related to an imbalance in tissue nutrient concentrations of the dominant peat-former Sphagnum, changes in Sphagnum nutrient concentration after excess N supply may be used as an early indicator of ecosystem response. This study focuses on the N and P concentrations of Sphagnum magellanicum and Sphagnum fallax before, during and after a factorial fertilization experiment with N and P in two small peatlands subject to a background bulk deposition of 2 g N m(-2) year(-1). Three years of adding N (4.0 g N m(-2) year(-1)) increased the N concentration, and adding P (0.3 g P m(-2) year(-1)) increased the P concentration in Sphagnum relative to the control treatment at both sites. Fifteen months after the nutrient additions had ceased, N concentrations were similar to the control whereas P concentrations, although strongly reduced, were still slightly elevated. The changes in the N and P concentrations were accompanied by changes in the distribution of nutrients over the capitulum and the stem and were congruent with changes in translocation. Adding N reduced the stem P concentration, whereas adding P reduced the stem N concentration in favor of the capitulum. Sphagnum nutrient concentrations quickly respond to reductions in excess nutrient supply, indicating that a management policy aimed at reducing atmospheric nutrient input to bogs can yield results within a few years.
- Published
- 2008
40. Developing Fire Behavior Fuel Models for the Wildland–Urban Interface in Anchorage, Alaska
- Author
-
Sue Rodman, T. Scott Rupp, and Daniel Cheyette
- Subjects
Bark beetle ,Population ,Ecology and Evolutionary Biology ,Inventory data ,Plant Science ,Environmental protection ,Wildland–urban interface ,boreal forest ,Forest Biology ,education ,Forest Sciences ,education.field_of_study ,Forest inventory ,Wood Science and Pulp, Paper Technology ,biology ,Dendroctonus rufipennis ,Taiga ,Forestry ,biology.organism_classification ,NEXUS ,wildland–urban interface ,Forest Management ,Environmental science ,fire behavior fuel model ,wildland fuel ,Entomology ,Fire behavior - Abstract
Fire behavior modeling systems are playing an increasingly important role in identifying areas of the wildland–urban interface (WUI) that could support intense and fast-moving wildfires. The modeling systems also can be used to prioritize areas for fuels reduction treatments. We used forest inventory data to create custom fire behavior fuel models for the Anchorage, Alaska, WUI—an area strongly impacted by a recent spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) infestation. Eight custom fuel models were developed including a custom fuel model for a spruce bark beetle impacted forest type. NEXUS simulations indicate that the custom fuel models better describe forest structure and predict fire behavior than do parameterized standard fuel models previously used by local fire managers. Rate of spread and fireline ranged from 1–321 chains/hour and 1–2,549 Btu/ft per second, respectively, for the custom fuel models compared with 1–70 chains/hour and 1–7,929 Btu/ft per second, respectively, for the parameterized standard fuel models. Our study shows that it is both possible and feasible to create custom fuel models directly from fuels inventory data. This achievement has broad implications for land managers, particularly managers of the boreal forest, a region that is susceptible to wildfires but also home to a growing human population and increasing amounts of development.
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Forest Resources of the Tanana Unit, Alaska: 2018.
- Author
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Cahoon, Sean M. P. and Baer, Kathryn C.
- Abstract
This report provides detailed estimates and highlights key findings from Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data collected across the Tanana unit in interior Alaska, 2014–2018. The Tanana unit encompasses much of the Tanana River basin and is one of six inventory units distributed throughout the expansive boreal forest that comprises much of Alaska. Estimates of forest area, volume, aboveground biomass, and ecosystem carbon are provided across land ownerships, forest types, and forest demographics throughout the unit. The Tanana unit covers approximately 33.4 million ac, of which 20.8 million ac (62 percent) were considered forest land managed mostly by state and local governments. Private landowners and state and local governments oversee most of the live-tree volume on timberland, where much of the region’s forest management occurs. A majority of the unit, 10.8 million ac (52 percent), is composed of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.) forests, while Alaska paper birch (Betula neoalaskana Sarg.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) forests comprised about 3.9 million ac (19 percent) and 3.4 million ac (16 percent), respectively. Unique to this inventory was the incorporation of soil carbon estimates, which comprised 76 to 90 percent of total ecosystem carbon pools among forest types. More than half of the total soil carbon was found in black spruce forests where cool, saturated soils limit organic matter decomposition. Understory vascular vegetation was primarily comprised of low-stature shrubs: lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.), bog Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum), bog blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum), and resin birch (Betula glandulosa)—species frequently encountered in the most common forest type, black spruce. Resin birch, bog blueberry, and marsh Labrador tea (Ledum palustre ssp. decumbens) were the most common vascular plant species on nonforest plots. Ground layer biomass was dominated by nitrogen-fixing feather mosses in uplands and Sphagnum peat mosses in lowlands. This report summarizes the main outcomes of a detailed survey of forest and nonforest conditions throughout a region that has previously lacked a comprehensive inventory at such a scale, despite its global and regional importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Fires on Ice: Emerging Permafrost Peatlands Fire Regimes in Russia's Subarctic Taiga.
- Author
-
Kuklina, Vera, Sizov, Oleg, Rasputina, Elena, Bilichenko, Irina, Krasnoshtanova, Natalia, Bogdanov, Viktor, and Petrov, Andrey N.
- Subjects
WILDFIRES ,PEATLAND restoration ,PERMAFROST ,TAIGAS ,PEATLANDS ,ANIMAL migration ,REMOTE-sensing images - Abstract
Wildfires in permafrost areas, including smoldering fires (e.g., "zombie fires"), have increasingly become a concern in the Arctic and subarctic. Their detection is difficult and requires ground truthing. Local and Indigenous knowledge are becoming useful sources of information that could guide future research and wildfire management. This paper focuses on permafrost peatland fires in the Siberian subarctic taiga linked to local communities and their infrastructure. It presents the results of field studies in Evenki and old-settler communities of Tokma and Khanda in the Irkutsk region of Russia in conjunction with concurrent remote sensing data analysis. The study areas located in the discontinuous permafrost zone allow examination of the dynamics of wildfires in permafrost peatlands and adjacent forested areas. Interviews revealed an unusual prevalence and witness-observed characteristics of smoldering peatland fires over permafrost, such as longer than expected fire risk periods, impacts on community infrastructure, changes in migration of wild animals, and an increasing number of smoldering wildfires including overwintering "zombie fires" in the last five years. The analysis of concurrent satellite remote sensing data confirmed observations from communities, but demonstrated a limited capacity of satellite imagery to accurately capture changing wildfire activity in permafrost peatlands, which may have significant implications for global climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Increasing loss of mature boreal forests around protected areas with red-listed forest species.
- Author
-
Määttänen, Aino-Maija, Virkkala, Raimo, Leikola, Niko, and Heikkinen, Risto K.
- Subjects
FOREST biodiversity ,TAIGAS ,PROTECTED areas ,FOREST management ,BIODIVERSITY conservation ,ENVIRONMENTAL degradation - Abstract
Background: Protected areas (PA) are central to biodiversity, but their efficiency is challenged by human-induced habitat loss and fragmentation. In the Fennoscandian boreal region, forestry with clearcutting is a threat to biodiversity causing the loss of mature forest elements and deterioration of ecological processes in forest landscapes, ultimately affecting PAs via declined structural connectivity. This paper aims to (1) determine PAs with high, red-listed species concentrations; (2) estimate the change in forest habitat around these PAs on different spatial scales; and (3) determine if forest management intensity is higher around biologically most valuable PAs. Occurrences of red-listed forest-dwelling species in Finland were used to identify PAs harbouring these species and to produce site-specific importance indices. CORINE landcover data was used as a baseline for the distribution of forests to assess the cover of clear-cuttings from 2001 to 2019 with the Global Forest Change (GFC) data set in three buffer areas around the PAs with occurrences of red-listed species. Results: The largest proportion of clear-cuts occurred in 1 km and 10 km buffers around the PAs in the southern and middle boreal zones, being ca. 20%. This indicates that the forest habitat is degrading fast at regional and landscape levels. On the positive side, the change in forest cover was lower around the biologically most important PAs compared to other PAs with red-listed species. Conclusions: Open and free satellite-data based assessments of the cover and change of forests provide reliable estimates about the rates at which mature and old-growth forests are being converted into young managed ones in Finland mainly via clear-cuts on different scales around PAs. The rate of clear-cuts was lowest in adjacent buffer areas next to the most species-rich PAs, which provides opportunities for biodiversity conservation efforts to be targeted to the remaining mature and old-growth forests found in the vicinity of these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Anticipating Future Risks of Climate-Driven Wildfires in Boreal Forests
- Author
-
Shelby Corning, Andrey Krasovskiy, Pavel Kiparisov, Johanna San Pedro, Camila Maciel Viana, and Florian Kraxner
- Subjects
wildfire modeling ,climate change impacts ,boreal forest ,adaptation options ,Physics ,QC1-999 - Abstract
Extreme forest fires have historically been a significant concern in Canada, the Russian Federation, the USA, and now pose an increasing threat in boreal Europe. This paper deals with application of the wildFire cLimate impacts and Adaptation Model (FLAM) in boreal forests. FLAM operates on a daily time step and utilizes mechanistic algorithms to quantify the impact of climate, human activities, and fuel availability on wildfire probabilities, frequencies, and burned areas. In our paper, we calibrate the model using historical remote sensing data and explore future projections of burned areas under different climate change scenarios. The study consists of the following steps: (i) analysis of the historical burned areas over 2001–2020; (ii) analysis of temperature and precipitation changes in the future projections as compared to the historical period; (iii) analysis of the future burned areas projected by FLAM and driven by climate change scenarios until the year 2100; (iv) simulation of adaptation options under the worst-case scenario. The modeling results show an increase in burned areas under all Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. Maintaining current temperatures (RCP 2.6) will still result in an increase in burned area (total and forest), but in the worst-case scenario (RCP 8.5), projected burned forest area will more than triple by 2100. Based on FLAM calibration, we identify hotspots for wildland fires in the boreal forest and suggest adaptation options such as increasing suppression efficiency at the hotspots. We model two scenarios of improved reaction times—stopping a fire within 4 days and within 24 h—which could reduce average burned forest areas by 48.6% and 79.2%, respectively, compared to projected burned areas without adaptation from 2021–2099.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. The extent of the North American boreal zone.
- Author
-
Brandt, J. P.
- Subjects
TAIGA ecology ,BIOTIC communities ,BIOGEOGRAPHY ,PHYTOGEOGRAPHY ,MAPS - Abstract
Copyright of Environmental Reviews is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Decay rate of Larix gmelinii coarse woody debris on burned patches in the Greater Khingan Mountains.
- Author
-
Huang, Shubo, Wen, Lixiang, Yin, Shuai, Guo, Meng, and Yu, Fangbing
- Abstract
The decomposition of coarse woody debris (CWD) affects the energy flow and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Previous studies on CWD have focused on the input, decomposition, reserve dynamics, and CWD functions, but coarse woody debris decomposition is complex and the results from different regions vary considerably. It is not clear which factors affect decay rate (k), especially at different decomposition stages. In this study, a single-exponential decay model was used to analyze the characteristics of CWD decomposition in Larix gmelinii forests over the 33 years following a fire in the Greater Khingan Mountains. The results show that the decay rate of coarse woody debris was positively correlated to decay class. The average decomposition rate was 0.019, and 41 years and 176 years are needed for a 50% and 95% mass loss, respectively. CWD nutrient content, density, and water content could explain the variance in the decay rate (~ 42%) of the decay factors such as amount of leaching, degree of fragmentation, respiration of the debris, and biotransformation, and varied significantly between different decay classes. Using the space–time substitution method, this study arranged the coarse woody debris of different mortality times to form a 33 year chronosequence which revealed the decomposition process. It was concluded that the decay rate was mainly explained by structural component of the debris and its nitrogen and water contents. This paper quantifies the indicators affecting CWD decay to explain the decomposition process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. The history of settlement and agrarian land use in a boreal forest in Värmland, Sweden, new evidence from pollen analysis.
- Author
-
Eddudóttir, Sigrún Dögg, Svensson, Eva, Nilsson, Stefan, Ekblom, Anneli, Lindholm, Karl-Johan, and Johansson, Annie
- Subjects
PALYNOLOGY ,TAIGAS ,LAND use ,LAND settlement ,AGRICULTURAL history ,CANNABIS (Genus) - Abstract
Shielings are the historically known form of transhumance in Scandinavia, where livestock were moved from the farmstead to sites in the outlands for summer grazing. Pollen analysis has provided a valuable insight into the history of shielings. This paper presents a vegetation reconstruction and archaeological survey from the shieling Kårebolssätern in northern Värmland, western Sweden, a renovated shieling that is still operating today. The first evidence of human activities in the area near Kårebolssätern are Hordeum- and Cannabis-type pollen grains occurring from ca. 100 bc. Further signs of human impact are charcoal and sporadic occurrences of apophyte pollen from ca. ad 250 and pollen indicating opening of the canopy ca. ad 570, probably a result of modification of the forest for grazing. A decrease in land use is seen between ad 1000 and 1250, possibly in response to a shift in emphasis towards large scale commodity production in the outlands. Emphasis on bloomery iron production and pitfall hunting may have caused a shift from agrarian shieling activity. The clearest changes in the pollen assemblage indicating grazing and cultivation occur from the mid-thirteenth century, coinciding with wetter climate at the beginning of the Little Ice Age. The earliest occurrences of anthropochores in the record predate those of other shieling sites in Sweden. The pollen analysis reveals evidence of land use that predates the results of the archaeological survey. The study highlights how pollen analysis can reveal vegetation changes where early archaeological remains are obscure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. The ABoVE L-band and P-band Airborne SAR Surveys.
- Author
-
Miller, Charles E., Griffith, Peter C., Hoy, Elizabeth, Pinto, Naiara S., Yunling Lou, Hensley, Scott, Chapman, Bruce D., Baltzer, Jennifer, Bakian-Dogaheh, Kazem, Bolton, W. Robert, Bourgeau-Chavez, Laura, Chen, Richard H., Byung-Hun Choe, Clayton, Leah, Douglas, Thomas A., French, Nancy, Holloway, Jean E., Gang Hong, Lingcao Huang, and Iwahana, Go
- Subjects
- *
TUNDRAS , *SYNTHETIC aperture radar , *TAIGAS , *PERMAFROST ecosystems , *SOIL depth , *FOREST canopies , *SOIL moisture - Abstract
Permafrost-affected ecosystems of the Arctic-boreal zone in northwestern North America are undergoing profound transformation due to rapid climate change. NASA's Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) is investigating characteristics that make these ecosystems vulnerable or resilient to this change. ABoVE employs airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) as a powerful tool to characterize tundra, taiga, peatlands, and fens. Here, we present an annotated guide to the L-band and P band airborne SAR data acquired during the 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 ABoVE airborne campaigns. We summarize the ~80 SAR flight lines and how they fit into the ABoVE experimental design. We provide hyperlinks to extensive maps, tables, and every flight plan as well as individual flight lines. We illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of airborne SAR data with examples of preliminary results from ABoVE studies including: boreal forest canopy structure from tomoSAR data over Delta Junction, AK and the BERMS site in northern Saskatchewan and active layer thickness and soil moisture data product validation. This paper is presented as a guide to enable interested readers to fully explore the ABoVE L55 and P-band SAR data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Selection of roosting habitat by male Myotis bats in a boreal forest.
- Author
-
Fabianek, François, Simard, Marie Anouk, Racine, Etienne B., and Desrochers, André
- Subjects
MYOTIS ,TAIGA ecology ,ROOSTING ,MAMMAL habitats ,RADIO transmitters & transmission ,LIDAR ,BEHAVIOR - Abstract
Copyright of Canadian Journal of Zoology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Assessment and Estimation of the RVoG Model in Polarimetric SAR Interferometry.
- Author
-
Lopez-Martinez, Carlos and Alonso-Gonzalez, Alberto
- Subjects
AFFINE transformations ,ELECTROMAGNETIC wave scattering ,MAXIMUM likelihood sequence estimation ,INTERFEROMETRY ,GAUSSIAN distribution - Abstract
This paper investigates the validity of the random-volume-over-ground (RVoG) scattering model assumption for forest scattering on polarimetric interferometric synthetic aperture radar (PolInSAR) data. The model makes some assumptions about the data and the structure of coherency matrices, namely, the equality of the polarimetric covariance matrices and the affine equivalence of the contracted polarimetric interferometric covariance matrix with a Hermitian matrix. The proposed methodology is divided into two main steps. First, invertible affine transforms (ATs) are studied and proposed as a tool to operate with coherence regions. Based on this analysis, the concept of the trace matrix is introduced as its rank depends on the RVoG model assumption validity. Then, with the objective to consider the effects of speckle noise, we consider a maximum-likelihood (ML) framework, on the hypothesis of data distributed according to the complex Gaussian distribution. Hence, we define the ML estimator (MLE) of the PolInSAR coherency matrix according to the RVoG model assumption and the generalized likelihood ratio test of the model. The validity tests and the MLE are analyzed in terms of simulated and real PolInSAR data, considering P-band and L-band data over tropical and boreal forests. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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