Understanding Climate Impacts on Boreal Forests
November 2011
NRCan staff and a Memorial University researcher take stream measurements at the Grand Codroy River site.
More than 526 million hectares of Canada’s landmass is covered by boreal forest. Stretching from the west coast to the easternmost parts of Newfoundland and Labrador and north to the Yukon, it is home to a rich and diverse variety of wildlife. Over half of Canada’s 450 bird species and mammals such as moose, wolves, rabbit, lynx and mink can be found in this vast forest ecosystem.
In such a complex ecosystem, what effects are likely to be felt when changes to climate occur? The Newfoundland and Labrador Boreal Ecosystem Latitudinal Transect (NL-BELT) project aims to determine how boreal forest ecosystems in the province would respond to a rise in temperature.
The NL-BELT consists of four separate research sites in Newfoundland and Labrador’s boreal forests: the Eagle River site in the southern part of Labrador and, in a vertical line running south, sites at Salmon River, Humber River and Grand Codroy River in Newfoundland.
Kate Edwards from NRCan and Sharon Billings from University of Kansas collect soil samples at the Salmon River site.
Climate is the primary differentiator for the four sites, which are all located in boreal forest dominated by balsam fir trees. Between the coldest site at Eagle River and the warmest site at Grand Codroy River, the mean annual temperature difference is more than five degrees Celsius. By analyzing the conditions in the warmer southern forests, the researchers are able to hypothesize what northern sites may look like with a change in climate.
The project examines various features of this particular boreal ecosystem. For example, partners at Memorial University transfer soil from northern field sites to southern field sites and then place them in climate-controlled incubation chambers in the lab. The researchers then track and analyze the impacts of the warmer climates on various biochemical soil processes, such as decomposition.
Map of Newfoundland and Labrador: the shaded regions show the locations of the four NL-BELT research sites
A variety of activities are conducted at each research site to assess different components of the forest ecosystem. Moss growth, soil respiration and fertility, decomposition, and characteristics of tree growth and species composition are among the many topics being studied.
This field of enquiry is relatively new, and there is still much to learn. “We don’t really know the impacts of climate change on our forests,” explains Kate Edwards, a research scientist for Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan’s) Canadian Forest Service (CFS) in Newfoundland and Labrador. “Researchers are on the ground to observe and understand climate change effects and provide clues to areas requiring further study,” Kate says.
The research data will be incorporated into a database to facilitate information sharing between researchers, and could eventually provide the basis for policy. “This research can help guide policy development and decision-making by providing the scientific foundation for sustainable forestry management in a warming climate,” explains Kate.
The public will be able to explore the key findings of the project later this year, when an interactive platform will be made available online.
To learn more about the impact of climate change on Canada’s forests, visit the CFS “Impact of climate change on Canada’s forests and forest sector” Web page.
To read about related articles, see Climate Change
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