A5084733320- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Forest ecology and management
- Tree-ring climate responses
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Geophysics and Gravity Measurements
- Climate variability and models
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Atmospheric Ozone and Climate
- Forest Management and Policy
- Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation
- Metabolism, Diabetes, and Cancer
- Plant and animal studies
- Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Climate change and permafrost
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Remote Sensing in Agriculture
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Power Systems and Technologies
- Nutrition, Genetics, and Disease
- Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
University of Alberta
2016-2025
University of British Columbia
1998-2013
Heidelberg University
2003-2013
University Hospital Heidelberg
2002-2013
Kerckhoff Klinik
2006-2013
Canadian Forest Service
2013
Government of British Columbia
2013
Ministry of Forests
2013
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions
2013
University of Victoria
2013
Large volumes of gridded climate data have become available in recent years including interpolated historical from weather stations and future predictions general circulation models. These datasets, however, are at various spatial resolutions that need to be converted scales meaningful for applications such as change risk impact assessments or sample-based ecological research. Extracting specific locations large datasets is not a trivial task typically requires advanced GIS management...
Abstract This study addresses the need to provide comprehensive historical climate data and change projections at a scale suitable for, readily accessible to, researchers resource managers. database for western North America (WNA) includes over 20 000 surfaces of monthly, seasonal, annual variables from 1901 2009; several normal periods; multimodel 2020s, 2050s, 2080s. A software package, ClimateWNA, allows users access query point locations, obtain time series, or generate custom any...
A new ecosystem-based climate envelope modeling approach was applied to assess potential change impacts on forest communities and tree species. Four orthogonal canonical discriminant functions were used describe the realized space for British Columbia's ecosystems model portions of niche species under current predicted future climates. This conceptually simple is capable predicting ranges at high spatial resolutions far beyond study area, including outlying populations southern range limits...
When confronted with an adaptive challenge, such as extreme temperature, closely related species frequently evolve similar phenotypes using the same genes. Although repeated evolution is thought to be less likely in highly polygenic traits and distantly species, this has not been tested at genome scale. We performed a population genomic study of convergent local adaptation among two lodgepole pine interior spruce. identified suite 47 genes, enriched for duplicated variants associated spatial...
Dothistroma needle blight, caused by the fungus septosporum, is a major pest of pine plantations in Southern Hemisphere, where both host and pathogen have been introduced. In northern temperate forests trees are native, damage levels historically low; however, currently causing extensive defoliation mortality lodgepole northwestern British Columbia, Canada. The severity disease such that mature area succumbing, which an unprecedented occurrence. This raises question whether climate change...
Abstract Applying climate data in resource management requires matching the spatial scale of and databases. Interpolating mountainous regions is difficult. In this study, we present methodology to generate scale‐free through combination interpolation techniques elevation adjustments. We apply it monthly temperature precipitation normals for 1961–90 produced by Parameter‐elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) British Columbia, Yukon Territories, Alaska Panhandle, parts...
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 Use of downscaled global climate model projections is expanding rapidly as change vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning become mainstream in many sectors. Many impact analyses use at very high spatial resolution (~1 km) but low temporal (20‐ to 30‐year normals). These applications have selection priorities that are distinct from resolution. Here, we select a 13‐model ensemble an 8‐model subset designed for robust change‐factor downscaling monthly normals, describe their...
Abstract Although growth response functions have previously been developed for lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.) populations in British Columbia, new analyses were conducted: (1) to demonstrate the merit of a local climate model genecological analysis; (2) highlight methods deriving functions; and (3) evaluate impacts management options existing geographically defined seed planning units (SPUs) reforestation. Results this study suggest that anchoring population functions,...
Summary Studies of mutations affecting lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans show that mitochondrial generation reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a major causative role organismal aging. Here, we describe novel mechanism for regulating ROS production and C . elegans: progressive protein modification by the glycolysis‐derived dicarbonyl metabolite methylglyoxal (MG). We demonstrate activity glyoxalase‐1, an enzyme detoxifying MG, is markedly reduced with age despite unchanged levels...
1 Large differences exist in the predictions of plant responses to climate change among models that consider population variation and those do not. Models treat species as homogeneous entities typically predict net positive impacts on temperate forest productivity, while most studies adaptive genetic within conclude productivity will be negative. 2 We present a modelling approach predicts using both ecological variables. The model uses growth data from multi-site provenance trials together...
We present a comprehensive set of interpolated climate data for western North America, including monthly the last century (1901–2009), future projections from atmosphere–ocean general circulation models (A2, A1B, and B1 scenarios WCRP CMIP3 multimodel dataset), as well decadal averages multiple normals century. For each these time periods, we provide large basic derived biologically relevant variables, such growing chilling degree days, season length descriptors, frost-free extreme minimum...
Human-aided movement of species populations in large-scale reforestation programs could be a potent and cost-effective climate change adaptation strategy. Such management interventions, however, tend to entail the risks unintended consequences, we propose that three conditions should met before implementing assisted migration programs: (1) evidence climate-related adaptational lag, (2) observed biological impacts, (3) robust model projections target efforts. In case study aspen (Populus...
Abstract We used 179 tree ring chronologies of Douglas‐fir [ Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] from the International Tree‐Ring Data Bank to study radial growth response historical climate variability. For coastal variety Douglas‐fir, we found positive correlations width with summer precipitation and temperature preceding winter, indicating that populations was limited by dryness photosynthesis in winter contributed growth. interior variety, low high growing season temperatures Based on...
Abstract We evaluate genetic test plantations of North American Douglas‐fir provenances in Europe to quantify how tree populations respond when subjected climate regime shifts, and we examined whether bioclimate envelope models developed for America guide assisted migration under change can retrospectively predict the success these provenance transfers Europe. The meta‐analysis is based on long‐term growth data 2800 transferred 120 European sites. model was generally well suited best...
As most regions of the earth transition to altered climatic conditions, new methods are needed identify refugia and other areas whose conservation would facilitate persistence biodiversity under climate change. We compared several common approaches planning focused on resilience over a broad range ecological settings across North America evaluated how commonalities in priority identified by different varied with regional context spatial scale. Our results indicate that based environmental...
Metrics that synthesize the complex effects of climate change are essential tools for mapping future threats to biodiversity and predicting which species likely adapt in place new climatic conditions, disperse establish areas with newly suitable climate, or face prospect extirpation. The most commonly used such metrics is velocity change, estimates speed at must migrate over earth's surface maintain constant conditions. However, "analog-based" velocities, represent actual distance where...
For climate change projections to be useful, the magnitude of must understood relative uncertainty in model predictions. We quantified signal-to-noise ratio projected distributional responses boreal birds change, and compared sources uncertainty. Boosted regression tree models abundance were generated for 80 boreal-breeding bird species using a comprehensive data set standardized avian point counts (349,629 surveys at 122,202 unique locations) 4-km climate, land use, topographic data....
North American tree species, subspecies and genetic varieties have primarily evolved in a landscape of extensive continental ice restricted temperate climate environments. Here, we reconstruct the refugial history western trees since last glacial maximum using species distribution models, validated against 3571 palaeoecological records. We investigate how modern structure diversity corresponds to modelled refugia, based on meta-analysis allelic richness expected heterozygosity for 473...
With lengthening growing seasons but increased temperature variability under climate change, frost damage to plants may remain a risk and could be exacerbated by poleward planting of warm-adapted seed sources. Here, we study cold adaptation tree populations in wide-ranging coniferous species western North America inform limits transfer. Using tree-ring signatures from common garden trials designed genetic population differentiation, find opposing geographic clines for spring fall damage....
Summary According to the range limit hypothesis, distribution of many temperate species is restricted by a trade‐off between their capacity survive winter extremes in north (or high elevation) and ability compete with better‐adapted south low elevation limits). This has important implications forestry, particularly context managed seed movement under climate change. In this study, we aim quantify trade‐offs among growth, frost hardiness timing leaf senescence bud break populations trembling...
Abstract Northern forests at the leading edge of their distributions may not show increased primary productivity under climate warming, being limited by climatic extremes such as drought. Looking beyond tree growth to underlying physiological mechanisms is fundamental for accurate predictions forest responses warming and drought stress. Within a 32-year genetic field trial, we analyze relative contributions xylem plasticity inferred stomatal response tolerance in regional populations...
Abstract Interpolated climate data have become essential for regional or local change impact assessments and the development of adaptation strategies. Here, we contribute an accessible, comprehensive database interpolated Europe that includes monthly, annual, decadal, 30-year normal last 119 years (1901 to 2019) as well multi-model CMIP5 projections 21 st century. The also variables relevant ecological research infrastructure planning, comprising more than 20,000 grids can be queried with a...