This book chapter addresses how future forests will be shaped, in large part, by tree responses to climate change via mortality, migration, and adaptation. The authors first demonstrate the strong relationship between tree distributions and climate, and discuss various approaches for modeling this relationship under current and future climate. They then examine the potential role of tree migration (via seed dispersal) as a means of tracking shifting climate habitats, but conclude that most tree species will not be able to migrate quickly enough to keep pace with expected climate shifts. Alternatively, trees may be able to adapt in place to climate change. Studies have shown that northern tree populations have a high capacity to absorb temperature increases, which may bode well for these populations under climate change. Finally, human interventions such as assisted migration, wherein tree populations and/or species are intentionally moved to track climate change, are discussed as potential approaches for helping to maintain healthy and productive future forests.
Related Resources
National Tree Seed Centre Webinar - Forecasting Fall Seed Crops
Resource Date:
July
2022
National Tree Seed Centre Webinar - Equipment Solutions
Resource Date:
April
2022
Mapping Dominant Boreal Tree Species Groups by Combining Area-Based and Individual Tree Crown LiDAR Metrics with Sentinel-2 Data
Resource Date:
2022
Organization
Harmonizing Multi-Temporal Airborne Laser Scanning Point Clouds to Derive Periodic Annual Height Increments in Temperate Mixedwood Forests
Resource Date:
2022
Organization
Fifty Years of Landsat Science and Impacts
Resource Date:
2022
Organization
Was this helpful?
|