Interactive, place-based mapping of climate analogs in Yukon’s mountain regions to inform tree species selection in areas of rapid climate change.

Research problem: Reclamation practitioners must consider seed source for revegetation measures that maximize long-term resilience of reclaimed sites in regions undergoing rapid climate change. Climate analog mapping, relating climate of a space at a point in time to that of another, can help identify location of seed sources best adapted for current and future climates. Climate analogs published for northern mountain regions have not incorporated topo-edaphic (slope and aspect) factors that can modulate climate sensitivity and growth of canopy forming tree species.
Objectives: The goal of this internship is to develop an interactive, place-based, climate analog tool specific to Yukon’s boreal tree species using biologically meaningful climate variables determined from tree-ring, climate, and topo-edaphic relationships.
Anticipated Outcome: This research will inform selection of seed stock for forest ecosystem reclamation by linking historic growth response of tree species to their contemporary and future climate analogs.

Faculty Supervisor:

Andreas Hamann;Fiona Schmiegelow

Student:

Nadele Flynn

Partner:

Alexco Resource Group

Discipline:

Resources and environmental management

Sector:

University:

University of Alberta

Program: