Evaluating disturbance-mediated vegetation change and climate-change refugia potential across Alberta boreal forest lands

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buffered against anthropogenic climate change. In particular, we will concentrate on the peatland-upland**interface and how feedbacks in peatlands can buffer the effects of climate change (resistance) due to their**ability to generate and retain moisture within an increasingly arid climate. Peatlands also alter wildfire patterns**in burns (frequency and intensity) that further promote resistance and resilience of local ecosystem function and**biodiversity. We propose to examine these factors using a combination of remote sensing and field studies that**will assess wildfire patterns, forest characteristics and function (productivity, growth, and regeneration), and**refugia modeling and mapping within Alberta's increasingly fragmented and threatened boreal forest. Proposed**research will lead to development of management tools that will support climate-smart ecosystem (forest)**management and conservation planning and address two key priorities for Canada.**To achieve these research objectives and to support activities of our partner organizations-Canadian Forest**Service and Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute-we will work with our partners to integrate academic**priorities of research and training of graduate students and research assistant with that of the applied**management priorities of our partner organizations. This includes development of a set of tools, maps, and**knowledge that can be used to address environmental management priorities surrounding climate change**adaptation for Canada's boreal forest.