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

缓冲了人为气候变化。特别是，我们将集中在泥炭地-高地 ** 界面，以及泥炭地的反馈如何缓冲气候变化（阻力）的影响，因为它们有能力在日益干旱的气候中产生和保持水分。泥炭地还改变野火燃烧的模式 **（频率和强度），进一步促进当地生态系统功能和 ** 生物多样性的抵抗力和恢复力。我们建议使用遥感和实地研究相结合，** 将评估野火模式，森林特征和功能（生产力，增长和再生），和 ** 避难所建模和映射内阿尔伯塔的日益分散和受威胁的北方森林的这些因素进行检查。拟议的 ** 研究将导致开发管理工具，支持气候智能型生态系统（森林）** 管理和保护规划，并解决加拿大的两个关键优先事项。为了实现这些研究目标，并支持我们的合作伙伴组织加拿大森林服务和阿尔伯塔生物多样性监测研究所的活动，我们将与我们的合作伙伴，以整合学术研究和研究生和研究助理的培训与我们的合作伙伴组织的应用管理优先事项的优先事项。这包括开发一套工具、地图和知识，可用于解决加拿大北方森林适应气候变化的环境管理优先事项。

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.