Expansion of forest stands into tundra in the Noatak National Preserve, northwest Alaska

Suarez, Frank; Binkley, Dan; Kaye, Margot W.; Stottlemyer, Robert

doi:10.1080/11956860.1999.11682538

Cited by 122 publications

(130 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Eighteen thousand years ago, the latitudinal tree line was 35-408N for white spruce (Picea glauca). Nine thousand years ago, white spruce reached the Beaufort Sea (708N) then receded to its present location on the south slopes of the Brooks Range (Ritchie and MacDonald, 1986;Suarez et al, 1999). As indicated in other studies, during the last 150 years, white spruce has shown sharp increases in recruitment and advances into tundra both in Canada (Szeicz and MacDonald, 1995) and along Alaska's Brooks Range (Rowland, 1996;Suarez et al, 1999).…”

Section: Treeline Advance Into Arctic Tundramentioning

confidence: 86%

“…However, field surveys of living trees and woody debris, historical photography, and government and private sector notes from the last 150-200 years allow an assessment of the pace of change that is more precise. Treeline advance involves both recruitment and ''filling in'' of existing stands by increased growth in stem diameter and/or height; both processes appear to be related to climate (Suarez et al, 1999). During the last two centuries, tree-ring growth at treeline has shown a somewhat linear increase, while the recruitment rate is nonlinear (Fig.…”

Section: Treeline Advance Into Arctic Tundramentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rate responses become nonlinear at soil temperatures near or above 9 8C. More detailed study of the environmental gradient in soil condition and microclimate across the ecotone is required, however, in order to estimate the extent of these gradients at treeline and the potential for future forest advancement into tundra if the present climate trends continue or accelerate (Suarez et al, 1999). White spruce is the dominant forest species at the taiga-tundra treeline in northwestern Alaska (Rowland, 1996;Suarez et al, 1999).…”

Section: Treeline Advance Into Arctic Tundramentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More detailed study of the environmental gradient in soil condition and microclimate across the ecotone is required, however, in order to estimate the extent of these gradients at treeline and the potential for future forest advancement into tundra if the present climate trends continue or accelerate (Suarez et al, 1999). White spruce is the dominant forest species at the taiga-tundra treeline in northwestern Alaska (Rowland, 1996;Suarez et al, 1999). Although the extensive invasion of low density white spruce into tundra can occur rather rapidly, the positive response of white spruce growth and stand infilling to a warmer climate may be of greater significance to natural resource managers.…”

Section: Treeline Advance Into Arctic Tundramentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nonlinear dynamics in ecosystem response to climatic change: Case studies and policy implications

Burkett

Wilcox

Stottlemyer

et al. 2005

Ecological Complexity

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237

177

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Many biological, hydrological, and geological processes are interactively linked in ecosystems. These ecological phenomena normally vary within bounded ranges, but rapid, nonlinear changes to markedly different conditions can be triggered by even small differences if threshold values are exceeded. Intrinsic and extrinsic ecological thresholds can lead to effects that cascade among systems, precluding accurate modeling and prediction of system response to climate change. Ten case studies from North America illustrate how changes in climate can lead to rapid, threshold-type responses within ecological communities; the case studies also highlight the role of human activities that alter the rate or direction of system response to climate change. Understanding and anticipating nonlinear dynamics are important aspects of adaptation planning since responses of biological resources to changes in the physical climate system are not necessarily proportional and sometimes, as in the case of complex ecological systems, inherently nonlinear. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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Section: Treeline Advance Into Arctic Tundramentioning

confidence: 86%

Section: Treeline Advance Into Arctic Tundramentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Treeline Advance Into Arctic Tundramentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Treeline Advance Into Arctic Tundramentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Nonlinear dynamics in ecosystem response to climatic change: Case studies and policy implications

Burkett

Wilcox

Stottlemyer

et al. 2005

Ecological Complexity

Self Cite

237

177

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The tundra-taiga treeline in Alaska, USA, has advanced from 80 to 100 m in the last 200 years (Suarez et al, 1999). Payette and Filion (1985) studied white spruce (picea glauca) expansion into northern Quebec, Canada, and found that the treeline has not changed substantially over the past centuries; however, below the treeline, its density has increased.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent changes to the hydrological cycle of an Arctic basin at the tundra–taiga transition

Krogh

Pomeroy

2018

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. The impact of transient changes in climate and vegetation on the hydrology of small Arctic headwater basins has not been investigated before, particularly in the tundrataiga transition region. This study uses weather and land cover observations and a hydrological model suitable for cold regions to investigate historical changes in modelled hydrological processes driving the streamflow response of a small Arctic basin at the treeline. The physical processes found in this environment and explicit changes in vegetation extent and density were simulated and validated against observations of streamflow discharge, snow water equivalent and active layer thickness. Mean air temperature and all-wave irradiance have increased by 3.7 • C and 8.4 W m −2 , respectively, while precipitation has decreased 48 mm (10 %) since 1960. Two modelling scenarios were created to separate the effects of changing climate and vegetation on hydrological processes. Results show that over 1960-2016 most hydrological changes were driven by climate changes, such as decreasing snowfall, evapotranspiration, deepening active layer thickness, earlier snow cover depletion and diminishing annual sublimation and soil moisture. However, changing vegetation has a significant impact on decreasing blowing snow redistribution and sublimation, counteracting the impact of decreasing precipitation on streamflow, demonstrating the importance of including transient changes in vegetation in longterm hydrological studies. Streamflow dropped by 38 mm as a response to the 48 mm decrease in precipitation, suggesting a small degree of hydrological resiliency. These results represent the first detailed estimate of hydrological changes occurring in small Arctic basins, and can be used as a reference to inform other studies of Arctic climate change impacts.

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Tundra

2015

Ecology of North America

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Expansion of forest stands into tundra in the Noatak National Preserve, northwest Alaska

Cited by 122 publications

References 18 publications

Nonlinear dynamics in ecosystem response to climatic change: Case studies and policy implications

Nonlinear dynamics in ecosystem response to climatic change: Case studies and policy implications

Recent changes to the hydrological cycle of an Arctic basin at the tundra–taiga transition

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