NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Dehcho Region, North Slave Region, South Slave Region

Tags: permafrost, soil chemistry, forest fire, carbon, lake sediment

Objective(s): To re-start and maintain study sites after two growing season without any census and sample collections and to establish additional study sites for regeneration process and soil condition monitoring (detection of permafrost table depth).

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5340. Main objective of the project is to re-start and maintain study sites after two growing season without any census and sample collections. The research team will also establish additional study sites for regeneration process and soil condition monitoring (detection of permafrost table depth). The team will try again to collect lake sediment samples for analyses of charcoal particles and pollen grains. The team will also continue the study of forest development at the landscape scale using an area of approximately 5-km radius surrounding Pine Lake and Lane Lake. The palynological landscape reconstruction method will be used. Forest ecological methods - Forest growth measurements with tree stem disk samples: The research team will take stem disk samples for measuring of stem ring formation of aspen (Populus tremuloides) trees. The team will examine the relationship between tree ring formation and environmental factors, to elucidate the effect of extreme environmental fluctuations on tree growth. The team will collect stem disk samples from a few aspen trees on which temperature had been measured for years and measuring stem growth and ring scars, in the forest stands along Highway #5 in Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP). The team will also take stem disk samples of black spruce (Picea mariana) for estimating past stand biomass accumulation. The team will examine the relationship between stand development and environmental factors, which has been recorded in tree rings. The team will reconstruct stand development trajectory with the balance of carbon budget in boreal forests under climate warming. The team will collect stem disk samples from several black spruce trees within a 5-km radius from Pine Lake. Palynological methods - Pollen analysis using lake sediment samples: The research team will take lake sediment samples from several lakes surrounding Pine-Lane lakes for the palynological reconstruction of vegetation (and fire history). The team will collect litter samples on the forest floor to examine pollen productivity of major tree species in the region; pollen productivity is one of the critical parameters for the vegetation reconstruction model (i.e. the Landscape Reconstruction Algorithm) applied in this project. Pedological methods - Site condition monitoring after fire disturbance: The research team will set up burnt forest sites along Highway #5 for checking regeneration phases, with plant biomass measurement and surface organic matter accumulation thickness. The team will harvest a couple of subplots (1m x1m subplot) to estimate biomass accumulation after fire. The team will also check subsoil hardiness change in depth among the stands without fire and after fire recovery, using penetration rod devices. Expected project outputs will be detailed carbon flow and estimation of carbon storage in the forest ecosystems with annual variations. Forest stand development and carbon accumulation process will be estimated through long-term regional succession both at the stand and landscape levels. The research team would give presentations on the project and field work in WBNP at Aurora College or WBNP office. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from August 27, 2022 to September 07, 2022