Post-harvesting biodiversity recovery curves for the boreal forest

Canada’s boreal forests are dynamic landscapes whose forest structure and biodiversity are altered by both natural and anthropogenic disturbance. Timber harvest is one of the dominant anthropogenic disturbances in these forests. We need to better understand how the biodiversity within these forests recovers after harvest. In this study we develop biodiversity recovery curves for harvested forests, considering various biotic groups (e.g., birds, mammals, vascular and non-vascular understory plants, invertebrates, fungi). We expect recovery trajectories to vary among forest types and natural regions, requiring both local understanding and broader landscape pattern discernment. We will use species richness and community composition to assess biodiversity recovery among taxa, following published methods and employing identified sources of relevant ground data to produce curves that generalize biodiversity recovery post-harvest. Our findings can be used, including by ABMI, to inform the Biodiversity Management Framework, sustainable resource development, land use planning, and cumulative effects management.

Faculty Supervisor:

Anne McIntosh;Ellen Macdonald

Student:

Partner:

Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Alberta

Program: