Summary and synthesis: past and future changes in the Alaskan Boreal Forest.

Abstract

Historically the boreal forest has experienced major changes, and it remains a highly dynamic biome today. During cold phases of Quaternary climate cycles, forests were virtually absent from Alaska, and since the postglacial re-establishment of forests ca 13,000 years ago, here have been periods of both relative stability and rapid change (Chapter 5). Today, the Alaskan boreal forest appears to be on the brink of further significant change in composition and function triggered by recent changes that include climatic warming (Chapter 4). In this chapter, we summarize the major conclusions from earlier chapters as a basis for anticipating future trends.

Citation

Chapin, F. Stuart; McGuire, David; Ruess, Roger W.; Walker, Marilyn W.; Boone, Richard D.; Edwards, Mary E.; Finney, Bruce P.; Hinzman, Larry D.; Jones, Jeremy B.; Juday, Glenn P.; Kasischke, Eric S.; Kielland, Knut; Lloyd, Andrea H.; Oswood, Mark W.; Ping, Chien-Lu; Rexstad, Eric; Romanovsky, Vladimir E.; Schimel, Joshua P.; Sparrow, Elena B.; Sveinbjörnsson, Bjartmar; Valentine, David W.; Van Cleve, Keith; Verbyla, David L.; Viereck, Leslie A.; Werner, Richard A.; Wurtz, Tricia L.; Yarie, John. 2006. Summary and synthesis: past and future changes in the Alaskan Boreal Forest. In: Alaska''s Changing Boreal Forest: 332-338