Data from: Black spruce (Picea mariana) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate
1. Snowpatches are disjunct arctic ecosystems scattered across the Subarctic, particularly on wind-protected lee slopes, where a thick snow cover accumulates during the winter. These snow-rich treeless ecosystems are affected by delayed snowmelt, causing shorter growing seasons. Snow-tolerant plants...
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ftdryad:oai:v1.datadryad.org:10255/dryad.197347 2023-05-15T14:59:07+02:00 Data from: Black spruce (Picea mariana) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate Truchon-Savard, Alexandre Jean, Melanie Payette, Serge Northern Québec Canada 1950-2010 holocene 2018-12-27T17:11:48Z http://hdl.handle.net/10255/dryad.197347 https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8 unknown doi:10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8/1 doi:10.1111/1365-2745.13123 doi:10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8 Truchon‐Savard A, Jean M, Payette S (2019) Black spruce ( Picea mariana ) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate. Journal of Ecology 107(3): 1154-1166. http://hdl.handle.net/10255/dryad.197347 climate change forest-tundra plant-climate interactions treeline tree-ring snowpatch subarctic Article 2018 ftdryad https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8 https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8/1 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13123 2020-01-01T16:18:30Z 1. Snowpatches are disjunct arctic ecosystems scattered across the Subarctic, particularly on wind-protected lee slopes, where a thick snow cover accumulates during the winter. These snow-rich treeless ecosystems are affected by delayed snowmelt, causing shorter growing seasons. Snow-tolerant plants occupy the center of subarctic snowpatches whereas black spruce trees grow at the margins. Snowpatches have shown sporadic expansion and shrinkage phases from tree establishment and mortality linked to climatic trends. Field surveys in the Subarctic of eastern Canada are showing an afforestation process occurring in snowpatches. The origin and nature of this afforestation were investigated based on the hypothesis that tree colonization and growth were closely associated with recent changes in climate. 2. Snowpatches were categorized in three types based on border trees: forested, semi-forested and tundra-like. In eight randomly selected snowpatches of each type, snowpatch borders and areas covered by deciduous shrubs or trees were mapped and chionophilous plants and frost-associated soil disturbances were recorded. Radial (tree-ring ) and vertical growth were measured on stems to evaluate the impact of climate and local factors on snowpatch black spruce populations. 3. Two waves of spruce colonization occurred in all forested and semi-forested snowpatches in the 1960s and in the 1980s to present. Spruce establishment was more frequent and abundant in recent years, near the forest margins and on moss and barren seedbeds. Expanding shrub (dwarf birch) cover inhibited spruce seedling establishment. Tree establishment and growth were positively correlated with growing season temperature and negatively correlated with annual maximum snow depth. More recently established spruce seedlings exhibited faster vertical growth than those established in the 20thcentury. 4. Synthesis: Due to warmer conditions and earlier snowmelt in eastern Canada, black spruce trees and dwarf birch shrubs are racing through subarctic snowpatches. This afforestation could change biodiversity in the Subarctic and affect watershed dynamics through a change in snowmelt pattern. Subarctic snowpatches are climate-sensitive ecosystems of the forest-tundra landscape, forming ideal biotopes for snow-tolerant, arctic-alpine species. Further tree encroachment in snowpatches in this century is potentially a threat to plant diversity, especially chionophilous species that have no corridors to migrate towards arctic ecosystems. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Climate change Dwarf birch Subarctic Tundra Dryad Digital Repository (Duke University) Arctic Canada |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Dryad Digital Repository (Duke University) |
op_collection_id |
ftdryad |
language |
unknown |
topic |
climate change forest-tundra plant-climate interactions treeline tree-ring snowpatch subarctic |
spellingShingle |
climate change forest-tundra plant-climate interactions treeline tree-ring snowpatch subarctic Truchon-Savard, Alexandre Jean, Melanie Payette, Serge Data from: Black spruce (Picea mariana) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate |
topic_facet |
climate change forest-tundra plant-climate interactions treeline tree-ring snowpatch subarctic |
description |
1. Snowpatches are disjunct arctic ecosystems scattered across the Subarctic, particularly on wind-protected lee slopes, where a thick snow cover accumulates during the winter. These snow-rich treeless ecosystems are affected by delayed snowmelt, causing shorter growing seasons. Snow-tolerant plants occupy the center of subarctic snowpatches whereas black spruce trees grow at the margins. Snowpatches have shown sporadic expansion and shrinkage phases from tree establishment and mortality linked to climatic trends. Field surveys in the Subarctic of eastern Canada are showing an afforestation process occurring in snowpatches. The origin and nature of this afforestation were investigated based on the hypothesis that tree colonization and growth were closely associated with recent changes in climate. 2. Snowpatches were categorized in three types based on border trees: forested, semi-forested and tundra-like. In eight randomly selected snowpatches of each type, snowpatch borders and areas covered by deciduous shrubs or trees were mapped and chionophilous plants and frost-associated soil disturbances were recorded. Radial (tree-ring ) and vertical growth were measured on stems to evaluate the impact of climate and local factors on snowpatch black spruce populations. 3. Two waves of spruce colonization occurred in all forested and semi-forested snowpatches in the 1960s and in the 1980s to present. Spruce establishment was more frequent and abundant in recent years, near the forest margins and on moss and barren seedbeds. Expanding shrub (dwarf birch) cover inhibited spruce seedling establishment. Tree establishment and growth were positively correlated with growing season temperature and negatively correlated with annual maximum snow depth. More recently established spruce seedlings exhibited faster vertical growth than those established in the 20thcentury. 4. Synthesis: Due to warmer conditions and earlier snowmelt in eastern Canada, black spruce trees and dwarf birch shrubs are racing through subarctic snowpatches. This afforestation could change biodiversity in the Subarctic and affect watershed dynamics through a change in snowmelt pattern. Subarctic snowpatches are climate-sensitive ecosystems of the forest-tundra landscape, forming ideal biotopes for snow-tolerant, arctic-alpine species. Further tree encroachment in snowpatches in this century is potentially a threat to plant diversity, especially chionophilous species that have no corridors to migrate towards arctic ecosystems. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Truchon-Savard, Alexandre Jean, Melanie Payette, Serge |
author_facet |
Truchon-Savard, Alexandre Jean, Melanie Payette, Serge |
author_sort |
Truchon-Savard, Alexandre |
title |
Data from: Black spruce (Picea mariana) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate |
title_short |
Data from: Black spruce (Picea mariana) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate |
title_full |
Data from: Black spruce (Picea mariana) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate |
title_fullStr |
Data from: Black spruce (Picea mariana) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate |
title_full_unstemmed |
Data from: Black spruce (Picea mariana) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate |
title_sort |
data from: black spruce (picea mariana) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10255/dryad.197347 https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8 |
op_coverage |
Northern Québec Canada 1950-2010 holocene |
geographic |
Arctic Canada |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada |
genre |
Arctic Climate change Dwarf birch Subarctic Tundra |
genre_facet |
Arctic Climate change Dwarf birch Subarctic Tundra |
op_relation |
doi:10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8/1 doi:10.1111/1365-2745.13123 doi:10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8 Truchon‐Savard A, Jean M, Payette S (2019) Black spruce ( Picea mariana ) colonization of subarctic snowpatches in response to warmer climate. Journal of Ecology 107(3): 1154-1166. http://hdl.handle.net/10255/dryad.197347 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8 https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.sf1k4m8/1 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13123 |
_version_ |
1766331256504582144 |