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Climate‐change refugia in boreal North America: what, where, and for how long?

Authors:

Diana Stralberg

Dominique Arseneault

Jennifer Baltzer

Quinn Barber

Erin Bayne

Yan Boulanger

Carissa Brown

Hilary Cooke

Kevin Devito

Jason Edwards

César Estevo

Nadele Flynn

Lee Frelich

Edward Hogg

Mark Johnston

Travis Logan

Steven Matsuoka

Paul Moore

Toni Morelli

Julienne Morissette

Elizabeth Nelson

Hedvig Nenzén

Scott Nielsen

Marc‐André Parisien

John Pedlar

David Price

Fiona Schmiegelow

Stuart Slattery

Oliver Sonnentag

Daniel Thompson

Ellen Whitman

+26 more
Publication Type:
Journal Article
Year of Publication:
2020
Publisher:
Wiley
Secondary Title:
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
ISSN:
1540-9295, 1540-9309
DOI:
10.1002/fee.2188
Issue:
5
Pages:
261-270
Volume:
18
Year:
2020

Abstract

The vast boreal biome plays an important role in the global carbon cycle but is experiencing particularly rapid climate warming, threatening the integrity of valued ecosystems and their component species. We developed a framework and taxonomy to identify climate-change refugia potential in the North American boreal region, summarizing current knowledge regarding mechanisms, geographic distribution, and landscape indicators. While “terrain-mediated” refugia will mostly be limited to coastal and mountain regions, the ecological inertia (resistance to external fluctuations) contained in some boreal ecosystems may provide more extensive buffering against climate change, resulting in “ecosystem-protected” refugia. A notable example is boreal peatlands, which can retain high surface soil moisture and water tables even in the face of drought. Refugia from wildfire are also especially important in the boreal region, which is characterized by active disturbance regimes. Our framework will help identify areas of high refugia potential, and inform ecosystem management and conservation planning in light of climate change.