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< Retour Adaptive silviculture for climate change (ASCC) trial AD 10 Hub: Petawawa research forest, ON Year: 2023-2026 Lisa Han Empirical studies in Canadian Forests demonstrating adaptive silvicultural responses to global change are needed to allow future testing and monitoring of solutions proposed in Silva21. The 6th North American site of the Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) network will be established at the PRF Hub. Based on management objectives and desired future conditions, four treatments will be compared: i.e. ‘control’, ‘resistance’, ‘resilience’ and ‘transition’. In each of the main treatments, renewal scenarios will be tested including site preparation and planting local and novel future-adapted species. The objective of this PhD project will be to study the initial response of these scenarios in terms of survival, height and diameter growth. Outcome: Forest renewal options and guidance on seed source selection and long-term legacy of an experimental site part of a North American network that will inform future forest managers. Lisa Han, PhD at University of Toronto Partners: Canadian Wood Fibre Centre Professor: John Caspersen (University of Toronto) & Charles Nock (University of Alberta) ​

< Retour Revisiting existing trials AD 1a Hub: All Year: 2023-2025 Ethan Ramsfield A wealth of past trials exists in Canada on the establishment and growth of species across a wide range of environmental conditions. In some cases, these trials have been actively maintained (including the NEBIE Plot Network in Ontario, a network of 120 2-hectare experimental units located across 4 fire regimes) while others have not been re-measured for significant periods of time. Our objective will be to study the long-term growth responses of trees to various adaptive strategies that have been tested in past trials. After reviewing existing trials, a PhD project will conduct a highly targeted re-measurement program to gather new information where necessary, so that a comprehensive dataset of past trials can be analysed offering key insights into the future responses to adaptive measures proposed in Silva21. Outcome: Key lessons to inform Silva21 projects on the likely impact and success of silvicultural strategies. Ethan Ramsfield, M.Sc. Partners: Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (Ontario) Professor: Brad Pinno Collaborators: Wayne Bell ​

< Retour Impact of acute climatic events on tree growth AN 1e Hub: All Year: 2023-2026 Sébastien Dumont, PhD Predicting tree growth in a changing climate is a critical step towards adaptative forest management. However, adapting growth projections to future climate scenarios requires an in-depth knowledge of the climate-growth relationships for each of Canada’s major tree species. To date, most of the research has focused on forest climate sensitivity to average temperature and precipitation, but recent studies suggest that acute climatic events also affect tree growth. Using an unprecedented tree core database from across Canada, and long-term daily climatic series from Environment Canada, Sébastien will apply dendroecological methods to assess the growth vulnerability of eight economically important tree species to acute climatic events, including summer drought, spring late frost, and winter thaw. The main expected outcome of the project is to quantify the vulnerability of key forest species to acute climatic events, which are expected to increase in frequency and severity in the future. Secondly, we aim to identify site-level attributes that promote resistance and resilience to these events. Sébastien Dumont, PhD at Université Laval Main Partner: Ressources Naturelle de Canada Professor: Alexis Achim Leduc, F., Chagnon, C., Moreau, G., Dumont, S., St-Jean, É., Achim, A. (2023) American beech outgrows sugar maple at the sapling stage regardless of partial harvest intensity in northern hardwood forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 533: 121630, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121630

< Retour Climatic drivers of tree growth AN 1a Hub: All Year: 2021 Catherine Chagnon, RA Understanding future climate dynamics is critically important to understand how adaptive management approaches can be developed and applied. However, adjusting growth projections to the new climate reality first requires identification of the key climatic variables that alter tree growth. Using a dendrochronological approach, Catherine Chagnon will utilise existing tree core databases, collected across Canadian forests, as well as new core information from Hub sites with the objective to identify the climatic events and conditions most susceptible to alter tree growth. The analysis includes the effects of both short, acute climatic events like drought, and more monotonic increases in average temperatures. Outcome (AN.1a): Identification and definition of key climate variables that affect tree growth across Canada. Catherine Chagnon, RA at Université Laval Main Partner: Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (Québec) Professor Alexis Achim Leduc, F., Chagnon, C., Moreau, G., Dumont, S., St-Jean, É., Achim, A. (2023) American beech outgrows sugar maple at the sapling stage regardless of partial harvest intensity in northern hardwood forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 533: 121630, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121630 Chagnon, C., Wotherspoon, A.R., Achim, A. (2022) Deciphering the black spruce response to climate variation across eastern Canada using a meta-analysis approach. Forest Ecology and Management, 520: 120375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120375 Moreau, G., Chagnon, C., Achim, A., et al. (2022). Opportunities and limitations of thinning to increase resistance and resilience of trees and forests to global change. Forestry, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpac010. Chagnon, C., Moreau, G., Bombardier-Cauffopé, C., Barrette, J., Havreljuk, F., Achim, A. (2022). Broad-scale wood degradation dynamics in the face of climate change: A meta-analysis. GCB-Bioenergy, 14(8): 941-958. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12951 Chagnon C, Moreau G, D’Orangeville L, Caspersen J, Labrecque-Foy J-P and Achim A (2023) Strong latitudinal gradient in temperature-growth coupling near the treeline of the Canadian subarctic forest. Front. For. Glob. Change 6:1181653. doi: 10.3389/ffgc.2023.1181653 Moreau, G., Chagnon, C., Cecil-Cockwell, MFL, Pothier, D., Achim, A., Bédard, S., Guillemette, F., Caspersen, J. (2023) Simplified tree marking guidelines enhance value recovery as well as stand vigour in northern hardwood forests under selection management. Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research; cpad045. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpad045

< Retour Early alert system for forest management OB 3b Hub: Estrie, QC; Montmorency forest, QC; Lac-St-Jean, QC; Romeo Malette, ON Year: 2021-2025 Alexandre Morin-Bernard, PhD Alexandre Morin-Bernard (PhD) will utilise satellite image time series over multiple Hub sites and develop long-term baselines with the objective to determine how variations from the baseline can inform on forest condition as altered by i) stress events such as drought and ii) isolated mortality. These synoptic scale “check-ins” will be combined with information on terrain, water availability, and age, to produce periodic report cards on forest condition and sustainable forest management indicators. While the monitoring of condition at the individual tree scale is not possible using satellite imagery, we will develop approaches to examine stand-level changes in condition through spectral indices focused on growth and mortality. Both medium and fine scale satellite imagery as well as tree ring data will provide validation and confidence in the methods, as well as information on how stand attributes influence to resistance and resilience to disturbances. Outcome (OB.3b): A platform to provide near real-time condition assessments as an early alert system to inform forest managers of changes to the forest stands, support adaptive management decisions and meet certification requirements. Alexandre Morin-Bernard, PhD at Université Laval Main Partner: Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (Québec) Professor Alexis Achim Collaborator Nicholas Coops Morin-Bernard, Coops, N.C., White, J.C., Achim, A. 2023. Predicting net growth rates in boreal forests using Landsat time series and permanent sample plot data. Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research, 2023;, cpad055, https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpad055. Morin-Bernard, A., Achim, A., Coops, N.C. 2023. Attributing a Causal Agent and Assessing the Severity of Non-Stand Replacing Disturbances in a Northern Hardwood Forest using Landsat-Derived Vegetation Indices. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 49(1), https://doi.org/10.1080/07038992.2023.2196356 Morin-Bernard, A., Achim, A., Coops, N. 2022. Monitoring growth and mortality in a Canadian boreal forest using Landsat time series - 41st EARSeL Symposium, 13 – 16 September, 2022. Paphos, Cyprus. https://cyprus2022.earsel.org/assets/BookOfAbstracts.pdf

< Retour Continuous forest inventory framework OB 5a Hub: All Year: 2021-2022 Chris Mulverhill, PDF While OB.3 focuses on broader scale strategic monitoring, there is also a need for improved monitoring of key stand forest metrics that drive the silvicultural decision-making process. Key to prescriptions such as thinning, fertilising and final harvesting is accurate tactical, tree and stand level, information such as tree location, height, as well as stand density, composition and health. Forest companies such as JDI require continual update of these conditions to implement agile, adaptive forest management. To support two MSc students in OB.5b and OB.5c a two-year PDF will first have the objective to develop a framework to determine which key stand attributes could be integrated into an continuous monitoring framework, at what level of spatial detail (ideally within a 20m grid) and at what level of accuracy (ideally at the 1ha level). The PDF will first undertake an evaluation of needs in terms of attributes and their desired accuracy, and then make an assessment of the most appropriate remote sensing tools to meet these desired outcomes across a number of HUB sites. Outcome (OB.5a): A continuous forest inventory updating framework using a range of remote sensing data sources for implementation at operational scales at relevant Hub sites. Chris Mulverhill, PDF at University of British Columbia Main Partner: J.D. Irving Ltd. Professor Nicholas Coops Collaborator Alexis Achim Smith-Tripp, S., Coops, N.C., Mulverhill, C., White, J.C., Axelson, J. 2024. Landsat assessment of variable spectral recovery linked to post-fire forest structure in dry sub-boreal forests. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 208:121-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2024.01.008. Mulverhill, C., Coops, N.C., Achim, A. (2023). Continuous monitoring and sub-annual change detection in high-latitude forests using Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 data. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 197: 309-319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2023.02.002 Coops, N., Tompalski, P., Goodbody, T.R,H., et al. (2022). Framework for near real-time forest inventory using multi source remote sensing data. Forestry cpac015. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpac015 Keay, L., Mulverhill, C., Coops, N.C., McCartney, (2022) Automated Forest Harvest Detection With a Normalized PlanetScope Imagery Time Series. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, 1-15; https://doi.org/10.1080/07038992.2022.2154598

< Retour Regeneration after catastophic disturbance OB 1a Hub: Quesnel, BC; Malcolm Knapp, BC Year: 2021-2024 Sarah Smith-Tripp, PhD While silviculturists can generally ensure regeneration success following harvest, stand re-establishment following catastrophic disturbances such as fire is much more variable. BC has experienced two of the largest ever recorded fire years in terms of area burned over the past three years. As a result, many hundreds of thousands of hectares need re-establishing, not all under active forest management. This project will utilise synoptic broad scale remote sensing approaches with the objective to provide a landscape assessment of the poorly regenerated areas. Sarah Smith-Tripp (PhD) will develop approaches by first assessing the rates of recovery of spectral indices from imagery and monitor broad scale re-establishment, and then examine how establishment success varies across the landscape, using these satellite indicators and field data, in response to species, topography, climate and disturbance type. Outcome (OB.1a): New techniques to assess re-establishment after severe disturbance over large areas, and areas prioritised for remediation measures. Sarah Smith-Tripp, PhD at University of British Columbia Main Partner: Future of Forestry Think Tank (British Columbia) Professor Nicholas Coops Collaborator Dominik Roeser Smith-Tripp, S., Coops, N.C., Mulverhill, C., White, J.C., Axelson, J. 2024. Landsat assessment of variable spectral recovery linked to post-fire forest structure in dry sub-boreal forests. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 208:121-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2024.01.008. Smith-Tripp, S., Coops, N., White, J. 2022. Combining forest structure measurements with satellite spectral observations for forest recovery monitoring in burned environments of British Columbia, Canada. Forest Disturbances and Ecosystem Dynamics in a Changing World, International symposium, Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany. https://sarahsmithtripp.github.io/publications/

< Retour Assisted migration trials: early response AD 9b Hub: All Year: 2022-2025 Jacob Ravn, PhD After collaborating with the RA to oversee the implementation of each trial, project AD 9a, a PhD student will have for objective to monitor of the early response at each site. They will compare the performance of different genotypes and species within and across sites. This comparison will allow us to (i) estimate the adaptive capacity of cold-adapted genotypes to increasing temperatures, and (ii) identify genotypes from warmer areas well suited for assisted migration at higher latitudes. Outcome (AD.9b): An analysis of the survival and early growth success of the newly established seedlings. Jacob Ravn, PhD at University of New Brunswick Main Partner: Department of Energy and Resource Development (New Brunswick) Professor Loïc D'Orangeville Ravn, J., D'Orangeville, L., Lavigne, M.B., Taylor, A.R. 2022. Phenotypic plasticity enables considerable acclimation to heat and drought in a cold-adapted boreal forest tree species. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 5:260. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2023-0128

< Retour Impact of climate change on growth of commercial forest species in Nova Scotia AN 1c Hub: Nova Scotia Year: 2022 - 2024 Florence Leduc, M.Sc. Dendroecology is based on the premise that the response of trees to climate and their environment is stable over time. However, in the context of climate change, climate and edaphic conditions are not permanent characteristics of the site. Despite the increase in temperature caused by climate change, several studies show a decrease in tree growth (Huang et al., 2010; Babst et al., 2019). Thus, the biotic and abiotic factors that determine tree growth response still need to be further understood. Furthermore, most studies target a single species, without addressing the interaction between different species growing in mixed stands. The objective of this project is to assess the growth trend of commercial species in Nova Scotia to better understand the current response of trees to climate change. The project will involve dendrochronological analysis of over 2000 trees in 740 plots across Nova Scotia. We aim to identify conditions that favour a positive growth response to climate change so that these can be considered in silvicultural decisions. Florence Leduc, M.Sc at Université Laval Main Partner: Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, Nova Scotia Professor: Alexis Achim Leduc, F., Chagnon, C., Moreau, G., Dumont, S., St-Jean, É., Achim, A. (2023) American beech outgrows sugar maple at the sapling stage regardless of partial harvest intensity in northern hardwood forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 533: 121630, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121630