Title: Permafrost thaw in boreal peatlands is rapidly altering forest community composition
Citation: Baltzer, Jennifer; Patankar, Rajit; Dearborn, Katherine; Wallace, Cory A, 2024, "Permafrost thaw in boreal peatlands is rapidly altering forest community composition", https://doi.org/10.5683/SP3/RP6V4R, Borealis
Study Site: Northwest Territories
Purpose: Boreal peatlands are frequently underlain by permafrost, which is thawing rapidly. A common ecological response to thaw is the conversion of raised forested plateaus to treeless wetlands, but unexplained spatial variation in responses, combined with a lack of stand-level data, make it difficult to predict future trajectories of boreal forest composition and structure. We sought to characterize patterns and identify drivers of forest structure, composition, mortality, and recruitment in a boreal peatland experiencing permafrost thaw.
Abstract: We established a large (10 ha) permanent forest plot (completed in 2014), located in the Northwest Territories, Canada, that includes 40,584 mapped and measured trees. In 2018, we conducted a comprehensive mortality and recruitment recensus. We also measured frost table depth, soil moisture, soil humification, and organic layer thickness within the plot between 2012 and 2018, and used habitat association tests to link these variables to forest characteristics and dynamics.
Supplemental Information Summary: This is the Third version of dataset. First version was published on 2020-11-19, Second version on 2020-12-09
Research: Global Water Futures, Northern Water Futures
Further Info: Dearborn, Katherine D.; Wallace, Cory A.; Patankar, Rajit; Baltzer, Jennifer L. (2020), Permafrost thaw in boreal peatlands is rapidly altering forest community composition, Journal of Ecology, Journal-article, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13569
Perron, Nia; Baltzer, Jennifer L.; Sonnentag, Oliver (2023), Spatial and temporal variation in forest transpiration across a forested boreal peatland complex, Hydrological Processes, Journal-article, https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14815
Status: Complete
Keywords:
peat properties,
vegetation,
Tree demography,
Permafrost,
Climate change,
Geographical coordinates: North: 61.310556, South: 61.310556 East: -121.293333 West: -121.293333
Bounding Temporal Extent: Start Date: 2012-01-01, End
Date: 2018-12-31
