A5016236536- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Fire dynamics and safety research
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Landslides and related hazards
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Plant and animal studies
- Forest Management and Policy
- Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- Economic and Environmental Valuation
- Groundwater flow and contamination studies
- Tree-ring climate responses
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Invertebrate Taxonomy and Ecology
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Botany, Ecology, and Taxonomy Studies
- Disaster Management and Resilience
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
Canadian Forest Service
2018-2024
Natural Resources Canada
2018-2024
University of Alberta
2014-2018
The velocity of climate change is an elegant analytical concept that can be used to evaluate the exposure organisms change. In essence, one divides rate by spatial variability obtain a speed at which species must migrate over surface earth maintain constant conditions. However, apply algorithm for conservation and management purposes, additional information needed improve realism local scales. For example, destination ensure vectors describing direction required migration do not point toward...
Abstract In the province of British Columbia, Canada, four most severe wildfire seasons last century occurred in past 7 years: 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023. To investigate trends activity fire-conducive climate, we conducted an analysis mapped perimeters annual climate data for period 1919–2021. Results show that after a century-long decline, fire increased from 2005 onwards, coinciding with sharp reversal wetting trend 20th century. Even as precipitation levels remain high, moisture deficits...
Abstract The 2023 wildfire season in Canada was unprecedented its scale and intensity, spanning from mid-April to late October across much of the forested regions Canada. Here, we summarize main causes impacts this exceptional season. record-breaking total area burned (~15 Mha) can be attributed several environmental factors that converged early season: snowmelt, multiannual drought conditions western Canada, rapid transition eastern Anthropogenic climate change enabled sustained extreme...
Abstract The top priority of fire management agencies in Canada is to protect human life and property. Here we investigate if decades aggressive suppression the boreal biome has reduced proportion recently burned forests (RBF; <30 years) near communities, thereby inadvertently increased risk wildfire. We measured percentage RBF, which are usually less flammable than older forests, up a 25-km radius around communities compared that surrounding regional regime zone. Our analysis 160 across...
Abstract Although broadleaf tree species of the boreal biome have a lower flammability compared to conifers, there is period following snow melt and prior leaf flush (i.e., greenup), termed “spring window” by fire managers, when these forests are relatively conducive wildfire ignition spread. The goal this study was characterize duration, timing, proneness spring window across Canada assess link between phenological variables incidence springtime wildfires. We used remotely sensed cover...
The 2023 wildfire season in Canada was unprecedented its scale and intensity. Spanning from late April to early November extending across much of the forested regions Canada, resulted a record-breaking total area burned approximately 15 million hectares, over seven times historic national annual average. impacts were profound with more than 200 communities evacuated (approximately 232,000 people), periods dense smoke that caused significant public health concerns, demands on fire-fighting...
Drought is usually the precursor to large wildfires in northwestern boreal Canada, a region with both wildfire potential and extensive peatland cover. Fire contagious process, given weather conducive burning, may be naturally limited by connectivity of fuels landscapes such as peatlands. Boreal peatlands fragment when wet connect them dry. The aim this paper construct framework which hydrological dynamics can incorporated into standard likelihood models, case Canadian Burn-P3 model. We...
Abstract Boreal woodland caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ) are currently listed as threatened in Canada, with populations the province of Alberta expected to decline much 50 percent over next 8–15 yr. We assessed future habitat across a region northeast using model habitat‐quality and projections climate from three general circulation models. used mapped climatic topo‐edaphic properties project upland vegetation cover fire simulation frequency extent wildfires. Based on those projections, we...
Abstract Recently burned boreal forests have lower aboveground fuel loads, generating a negative feedback to subsequent wildfires. Despite this feedback, short‐interval reburns (≤20 years between fires) are possible under extreme weather conditions. Reburns consequences for ecosystem recovery, leading enduring vegetation change. In study, we characterize the strength of fire‐fuel in recently Canadian and conditions that overwhelm resistance fire spread areas. We used dataset daily thousands...
Abstract Satellite data are effective for mapping wildfires, particularly in remote locations where monitoring is rare. Geolocated fire detections can be used enhanced management and modelling through daily progression mapping. Here we present the Canadian Fire Spread Dataset (CFSDS), encompassing interpolated progressions fires >1,000 ha Canada from 2002–2021, representing day-of-burning 50 environmental covariates every pixel. Day-of-burning was calculated by ordinary kriging of active...
Habitat fragmentation is typically seen as inhibiting movement via erosion in connectivity, although some patterns of early-phase disturbance, such narrow linear disturbances otherwise undisturbed forests, may actually facilitate the dispersal certain species. Such features are common Alberta's oil sands region legacies from seismic hydrocarbon exploration used to map reserves. Many ecological implications these unknown. Here, we investigate effect forest dissections by experimentally...
A 3.6 ha experimental fire was conducted in a black spruce peatland forest that had undergone thinning the year prior. After 50 m of spread natural stand at 35–60 min−1, crown (43,000 kW m−1 intensity using Byram’s method) encountered 50% stem removal treatment; rates treatment were 50–60 min−1. Fuel consumption control (2.75 kg m−2) comparable to (2.35 m−2). Proxy measurements in-stand heat flux sensors as well photogrammetric flame heights detected reductions 30–40% control. Crown fuel...
Although wildfires are an important ecological process in forested regions worldwide, they can cause significant economic damage and frequently create widespread health impacts. We propose a network optimization approach to plan wildfire fuel treatments that minimize the risk of fire spread landscapes under upper bound for total treated area. used simulation modeling estimate probability between pairs forest sites formulated modified Critical Node Detection (CND) model uses these estimated...
Abstract. This study is focused on nitrogen loading from a wide variety of crop and land-use types in the Central Valley, California, USA, an intensively farmed region with high agricultural diversity. Nitrogen rates for several have been measured based field-scale experiments, recent research has calculated crops throughout Valley mass balance approach. However, lacking to infer broad diversity directly groundwater nitrate measurements. Relating measurements specific must account...
Persistent fire refugia, which are forest stands that have survived multiple fires, play an important ecological role in the resilience of mountainous ecosystems following disturbances. The loss numerous refugia patches to large, high-severity fires recent years is prompting need better understand drivers endurance. We investigate topographic features on survivorship based pre-1950 regime conditions. Mapped (n = 557) covering 28% forested landscape were used develop three predictive models...
Protecting wildlife within areas of resource extraction often involves reducing habitat fragmentation. In Canada, protecting threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus (Gmelin, 1788)) populations requires preserving large intact forest habitat, with some restrictions on industrial forestry activities. We present a linear programming model that assesses the trade-off between achieving an objective protection for while maintaining desired levels harvest in landscapes. The...
Abstract In 2023, wildfires burned 15 million hectares in Canada, more than doubling the previous record. These caused a record number of evacuations, unprecedented air quality impacts across Canada and northeastern United States, substantial strain on fire management resources. Using climate models, we show that human-induced change significantly increased likelihood area at least as large 2023 most with two-fold increases east southwest. The long season was five times likely areas...
Linear disturbances from geological exploration (i.e., seismic lines) have an extensive footprint across much of Canada’s western boreal forest; however, how lines interact with subsequent wildfire remains poorly understood. We assessed whether wildfires effectively mitigate the by promoting forest recovery. evaluated structure legacy burned in 2001 and 2002 comparing them against adjacent unburned control plots, using metrics derived airborne laser scanning (ALS) data collected between 2007...
Non‐renewable resource extraction contributes greatly to degradation of wildlife habitats in boreal landscapes. In western Canada, oil and gas exploration have left a dense network linear disturbances (seismic lines) abandoned well pads that fragmented forest. Among multiple ecological effects, these increased predator access the preferred habitat some taxa, most notably woodland caribou, resulting population declines. Restoration seismic lines is critical activity improve recovery caribou...