Climate and the southern limit of the western Canadian boreal forest
Four species of boreal forest conifers share a similar southern limit of natural distribution in the three Prairie Provinces of western Canada. The southern boundaries of boreal forest and aspen parkland were compared with geographic patterns of several climate variables to provide a preliminary ass...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Forest Research |
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1994
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Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/2161 https://doi.org/10.1139/x94-237 |
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ftutahsudc:oai:digitalcommons.usu.edu:aspen_bib-3164 2024-01-07T09:45:35+01:00 Climate and the southern limit of the western Canadian boreal forest Hogg, Edward H. 1994-01-01T08:00:00Z https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/2161 https://doi.org/10.1139/x94-237 unknown Hosted by Utah State University Libraries https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/2161 doi:10.1139/x94-237 https://doi.org/10.1139/x94-237 Copyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact the Institutional Repository Librarian at digitalcommons@usu.edu. Aspen Bibliography forest trees temperature precipitation forest fires climatic change vegetation types boreal forests geographical distribution climate latitude climatic factors alberta saskatchewan manitoba forest zonation Forest Sciences text 1994 ftutahsudc https://doi.org/10.1139/x94-237 2023-12-14T18:41:48Z Four species of boreal forest conifers share a similar southern limit of natural distribution in the three Prairie Provinces of western Canada. The southern boundaries of boreal forest and aspen parkland were compared with geographic patterns of several climate variables to provide a preliminary assessment of how global climate change could affect forest distribution in the future. Forest zonation corresponded most closely with climatic moisture regimes (annual precipitation minus potential evaporation). In contrast, thermal characteristics of climate (mean July and annual temperature, growing degree-days) showed an inconsistent relationship with forest zonation. It is postulated that moisture limitations prevent conifer regeneration south of the present limit of natural distribution. Alternatively, the more arid climates south of the boreal forest may have promoted higher fire frequencies historically, thus preventing conifers from achieving sufficient longevity to regenerate. The driest areas of boreal forest in the region occur at low elevations in west-central Manitoba, throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta, and the southwestern Mackenzie District, Northwest Territories; these areas may be most vulnerable to increased climatic dryness. Climatically induced losses of forest cover from these low-elevation areas could eventually lead to the fragmentation of the boreal forest in western Canada. Text Northwest Territories Utah State University: DigitalCommons@USU Northwest Territories Canada Parkland ENVELOPE(-120.570,-120.570,55.917,55.917) Canadian Journal of Forest Research 24 9 1835 1845 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Utah State University: DigitalCommons@USU |
op_collection_id |
ftutahsudc |
language |
unknown |
topic |
forest trees temperature precipitation forest fires climatic change vegetation types boreal forests geographical distribution climate latitude climatic factors alberta saskatchewan manitoba forest zonation Forest Sciences |
spellingShingle |
forest trees temperature precipitation forest fires climatic change vegetation types boreal forests geographical distribution climate latitude climatic factors alberta saskatchewan manitoba forest zonation Forest Sciences Hogg, Edward H. Climate and the southern limit of the western Canadian boreal forest |
topic_facet |
forest trees temperature precipitation forest fires climatic change vegetation types boreal forests geographical distribution climate latitude climatic factors alberta saskatchewan manitoba forest zonation Forest Sciences |
description |
Four species of boreal forest conifers share a similar southern limit of natural distribution in the three Prairie Provinces of western Canada. The southern boundaries of boreal forest and aspen parkland were compared with geographic patterns of several climate variables to provide a preliminary assessment of how global climate change could affect forest distribution in the future. Forest zonation corresponded most closely with climatic moisture regimes (annual precipitation minus potential evaporation). In contrast, thermal characteristics of climate (mean July and annual temperature, growing degree-days) showed an inconsistent relationship with forest zonation. It is postulated that moisture limitations prevent conifer regeneration south of the present limit of natural distribution. Alternatively, the more arid climates south of the boreal forest may have promoted higher fire frequencies historically, thus preventing conifers from achieving sufficient longevity to regenerate. The driest areas of boreal forest in the region occur at low elevations in west-central Manitoba, throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta, and the southwestern Mackenzie District, Northwest Territories; these areas may be most vulnerable to increased climatic dryness. Climatically induced losses of forest cover from these low-elevation areas could eventually lead to the fragmentation of the boreal forest in western Canada. |
format |
Text |
author |
Hogg, Edward H. |
author_facet |
Hogg, Edward H. |
author_sort |
Hogg, Edward H. |
title |
Climate and the southern limit of the western Canadian boreal forest |
title_short |
Climate and the southern limit of the western Canadian boreal forest |
title_full |
Climate and the southern limit of the western Canadian boreal forest |
title_fullStr |
Climate and the southern limit of the western Canadian boreal forest |
title_full_unstemmed |
Climate and the southern limit of the western Canadian boreal forest |
title_sort |
climate and the southern limit of the western canadian boreal forest |
publisher |
Hosted by Utah State University Libraries |
publishDate |
1994 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/2161 https://doi.org/10.1139/x94-237 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-120.570,-120.570,55.917,55.917) |
geographic |
Northwest Territories Canada Parkland |
geographic_facet |
Northwest Territories Canada Parkland |
genre |
Northwest Territories |
genre_facet |
Northwest Territories |
op_source |
Aspen Bibliography |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/2161 doi:10.1139/x94-237 https://doi.org/10.1139/x94-237 |
op_rights |
Copyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact the Institutional Repository Librarian at digitalcommons@usu.edu. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/x94-237 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Forest Research |
container_volume |
24 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
1835 |
op_container_end_page |
1845 |
_version_ |
1787427154568413184 |