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Consequences of climate change for biogeochemical cycling in forests of northeastern North America

Summary

Published in Canadian Journal of Forest Research 39: 264-284

A critical component of assessing the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems involves understanding associated changes in the biogeochemical cycling of elements. Evidence from research on northeastern North American forests shows that direct effects of climate change will evoke changes in biogeochemical cycling by altering plant physiology, forest productivity, and soil physical, chemical, and biological processes. Indirect effects, largely mediated by changes in species composition, length of growing season, and hydrology, will also be important. The case study presented here uses the quantitative biogeochemical model PnET-BGC to test assumptions about the direct and indirect effects of climate change on a northern hardwood forest ecosystem. Modeling results indicate an overall increase in net primary production due to a longer growing season, an increase in NO3- leaching due to large increases in net mineralization and nitrification, and slight declines in mineral weathering due to a reduction in soil moisture. Future research should focus on uncertainties, including the effects of (1) multiple simultaneous interactions of stressors (e.g. climate change, ozone, acidic depositon); (2) long-term atmospheric CO2 enrichment on vegetation; (3) changes in forest species composition; (4) extreme climatic events and other disturbances (e.g., ice storms, fire, invasive species); and (5) feedback mechanisms that increase or decrease change.

Sector(s): 

Forests

Categorie(s): 

Scientific Article

Theme(s): 

Ecosystems and Environment, Forest Ecology, Forestry Research, Forests

Author(s)

CAMPBELL, John L., Lindsey E. RUSTAD, Elizabeth W. BOYER, Sheila F. CHRISTOPHER, Charles T. DRISCOLL, Ivan J. FERNANDEZ, Peter M. GROFFMAN, Daniel HOULE, Jana KIEKBUSCH, Alison H. MAGILL, Myron J. MITCHELL and Scott V. OLLINGER

Year of publication :

2009

Keywords :

changement climatique, forêt, cycle des nutriments, chimie du sol, modélisation, écologie écosystèmes et environnement, écologie forestière, écosystèmes et environnement, ecosystems and environment, forest ecology, climate change, forest, nutrient cycling, soil chemistry, modelisation

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