HR: 1340h
AN: B33E-1090    [Abstracts]
TI: Estimating Aboveground Net Primary Productivity of Black Spruce along a Climatic Gradient in the Boreal Forest.
AU: * Bhatti, J
EM: Jbhatti@nrcan.gc.ca
AU: Varem-Sanders, T
EM: tvarem@nrcan.gc.ca
AU: Bouriaud, O
EM: obouriau@nrcan.gc.ca
AB: Net primary productivity (NPP) is the difference between carbon assimilation by photosynthesis and plant respiration quantifies the rate at which carbon is accumulated in the living vegetation. The ability to measure net primary productivity (NPP) over a period of years using relatively inexpensive methods can be a tremendous asset when assessing the forest response to climate change. This project investigates and evaluates a new comprehensive method of estimating multi-decadal historical black spruce productivity using biomass stocks and tree ring width measurements along a climatic gradient. Black spruce aboveground NPP was calculated for even aged stands along Boreal Forest Transect Case Study (BFTCS) with similar soil and fertility characteristics. Biomass functions were modified using local DBH-height functions to determine tree level with Dbh as the sole predictor. Above ground net primary productivity was estimated from the stand level change in biomass with measured litter production rate on these sites. Tree biomass increment and litter production increases from Central Saskatchewan at the southern limit of the boreal forest where the climate is warm and dry up to Thompson (Northern Manitoba) where the climate is wetter and colder. Aboveground NPP for mature stands ranges from 671 to 1567 kg C ha-1 yr-1. Both at the southern boreal sites and northern boreal sites, the tree productivity was highly sensitivity to climate variability. The younger mixed black spruce stands are considerably more productive than older pure stands. Litter production is a major component and accounts for 30 to 60% of aboveground NPP. Practical robust estimation of aboveground NPP using tree ring measurement offers the potential for application over large spatial and temporal scale.
DE: 0412 Biogeochemical kinetics and reaction modeling (0414, 0793, 1615, 4805, 4912)
DE: 0414 Biogeochemical cycles, processes, and modeling (0412, 0793, 1615, 4805, 4912)
DE: 1225 Global change from geodesy (1222, 1622, 1630, 1641, 1645, 4556)
SC: Biogeosciences [B]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005