The State of Northwest Territories Forests In the Wake of Climate Change: Baseline Conditions and Observed Changes to Forest Ecosystems
Data and Resources
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Creator | Y.H uberman, J. Beckers, R. Brett, G. Castilla, R. Errington, E.C. Fraser-Reid, D. Goodsman, E.H. Hogg, J. Metsaranta, E. Neilson, J. Olesinski, M.-A. Parisien, D. Price, T. Ramsfield, C. Shaw, D. Thompson, M.F. Voicu, E. Whitman, and J. Edwards |
| Summary | The climate in Canada’s north has changed over the past 70 years. Indeed, mean annual temperature in the Northwest Territories has increased by 2°C to 4°C since record keeping began in 1950. Annual precipitation amounts and patterns have also changed during this period. These and other changes have already noticeably affected the appearance and function of northern forested ecosystems and will continue to do so into the future. As such, the Government of Northwest Territories and the Canadian Forest Service have collaborated to produce this baseline report summarizing the current ecological conditions of forested ecosystems in the Northwest Territories and identifying gaps in our understanding of northern forests and ecosystem processes. Key findings presented in this report include the following: 1) upland forests in western Northwest Territories, the most productive forests in the territory, experienced net negative growth trends between 1950 and 2002, which were correlated with reduced soil moisture; 2) permafrost has begun thawing across southern and central portions of the territory, which has been linked to localized flooding and will eventually lead to replacement of coniferous forests with shrub- and moss-dominated plant communities; 3) changes in wildfire frequency and intensity in recent decades will, over the long- term, alter the species composition of northern forests; 4) biotic and abiotic disturbances have become more common in the north and, during severe occurrences, will cause permanent damage to forests; 5) upland and peat plateau forests in the Northwest Territories have historically been roughly carbon neutral, but permafrost thaw and more intense wildfires are expected to increase carbon emissions from these forests; and 6) boreal caribou populations are currently considered self-sustaining in the Northwest Territories, but high-quality caribou habitat is at risk of degradation from wildfire, permafrost thaw, and increasing amounts of human development. |
| Local Relevance | This report summarizes the current ecological conditions of forested ecosystems in the NWT, and gaps in our understanding. |
| Notes | |
| Tags | Forest,Caribou,Wildfire,Vegetation |
| Geographic Region | NWT |
| Release Date | 2022-01-01 |
| Last Modified Date | 2022-01-01 |
| Funding Program |