The reproduction, establishment, and growth of white spruce in the forest tundra ecotone of the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk region ...

• Main Author: Walker, Xanthe
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2010
• Subjects: Northwest Territories; Canada; Tuktoyaktuk; Inuvik; Tundra
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0071517; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0071517

Climate is considered one of the most important factors controlling tree reproduction, establishment, and growth at the treeline. As climate change continues the latitudinal treeline is expected to shift northwards. The main objective of this research was to characterize the ecological patterns and processes of Picea glauca (Moench.) Voss. (white spruce) in the Tuktoyaktuk region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. In particular, this study aims to determine how climate influences white spruce tree reproduction, establishment, and growth throughout the forest-tundra transition zone. A total of four forest stand sites and eight tree island sites, examined in the early 1990s, were located and re-examined in the summer of 2009. Cone production has increased since the early 1990s and cone production decreases northward across the forest-tundra. Germination rates significantly decrease with increasing latitude but have not significantly changed since they were last examined 15 years ago. In June 1994 seedlings ...