How will Global Change Affect Function Of Future Trees and Forests

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The consequences of global climate change, with elevated temperature, altered precipitation patterns, and the increased frequency of extreme events such as heat waves and drought alters the function of northern trees and forests. Their response to a changing climate already impacts carbon sequestration, productivity, and survival, with potentially large effects on species distribution and the global carbon cycle. However, we currently lack a detailed understanding of how future climate will affect the physiological and molecular responses of northern trees and forests. Such data are crucial to our understanding and potentially mitigating the effects of climate change. The proposed research program therefore aims to determine the sensitivity of trees and forests to environmental change, from the molecular through to the species and ecosystem levels. It will assess how climatic changes impact photosynthetic processes, carbon metabolism, water relations and productivity of Canadian tree species at various scales. This includes the use of experimental growth chambers, field manipulations, and long-term monitoring field sites. The unique data obtained through this program will reveal how tree function is modified in response to global change factors such as increased temperature, and drought. The combination of different experimental scales and the use of molecular and physiological approaches will allow for validation of data across scales, the estimation of changes in productivity, and will help to assess adaptability and plasticity of tree species to climatic change. These results will be used to inform selection or screening strategies for tree genotypes or populations for improvement programs, and for forestry management, planning, and conservation. This research program will therefore help to sustain ecologically and economically important tree species in a future climate with benefits to the environment and forestry sector.