Summary
Published in Botany 96(7): 437-448. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjb-2017-0182
Today, scattered disjunct stands of two temperate species, yellow birch and white pine, are present north of their continuous distributional range in southern Quebec (Canada) at topographical locations that offer protection from severe fires. This study tested whether these species had populations more numerous and widespread millennia ago when the climate was presumably warmer. Specifically, this research involved the analyses of pollen, plant macrofossils, and charcoal fragments of two sites within the western part of Quebec’s balsam fir – paper birch bioclimatic domain: a forest humus deposit from a yellow birch stand (local scale), and a peatland (regional scale). Fossil data suggest that white pine was more abundant regionally between 7500 and 5000 cal. BP, before coming rare under subsequent cooler conditions. Likewise, yellow birch was more abundant regionally between 7700 and 1500 cal BP. Its subsequent decline and the local disappearance of white pine by 200 cal. BP may both be explained by the severe fires that occurred in recent centuries, as well as the rarity of suitable habitats for these species. The sustained presence of temperate species in mixed boreal forests is the result of the combined action of climate, natural disturbances and habitat characteristics.
Sector(s):
Forests
Categorie(s):
Scientific Article
Theme(s):
Forest Ecology, Forestry Research, Forests
Departmental author(s):
Author(s)
LAROCHELLE, Émilie, Martin LAVOIE, Pierre GRONDIN and Pierre-Luc COUILLARD
Year of publication :
2018
Format :
PDF available upon request
How to get the publication :
Keywords :
feux de forêt, forêt mixte, histoire postglaciaire de la végétation, pin blanc, bouleau jaune, écologie forestière, article scientifique de recherche forestière, forest ecology, forest fires, mixed forest, postglacial vegetation history, white pine, yellow birch
