BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//132.216.98.100//NONSGML kigkonsult.se iCalcreator 2.20.4//
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:20251118T193054EST-1511IcBWZp@132.216.98.100
DTSTAMP:20251119T003054Z
DESCRIPTION:pre-defense will be at 13:15  (room MS2-084)  Abstract:  Unders
 tanding tree species distributions and dynamics in northern boreal forests
  is necessary for appropriate societal action and response to critical iss
 ues such as climate change\, increased economic development of northern na
 tural resources\, and the collateral damage to cultures of indigenous comm
 unities. Northern tree species are expected to be sensitive to ongoing and
  anticipated climate change. Due to their remoteness and lack of a history
  of management-oriented research\, information that is available for tempe
 rate areas\, such as species distribution maps\, soils\, and climatology i
 s often poorly quantified in the North. Consequently\, our understanding o
 f the factors controlling tree species northern distributional limits (NDL
 ) and our ability to predict how future environmental change will affect t
 heir range distributions is limited. Moreover\, very little attention has 
 been devoted to understanding the dynamics of the few deciduous tree speci
 es\, such as trembling aspen that are important components of northern bor
 eal forest systems\, from both an ecological and an economical perspective
 .  This thesis was inspired by observations of aspen growing in uncharacte
 ristic abundance near the extremes of its NDL in Quebec in conjunction wit
 h the pressing need to answer questions regarding how individual boreal tr
 ee species may respond to current and future environmental change. Here\, 
 I investigate the factors driving the variation in observable patterns of 
 aspen distribution and abundance at regional and landscape scales in the J
 ames Bay area of northwestern Quebec\, as well as the influence of a range
  of ecological conditions on aspen growth. The four specific objectives of
  this research were: (i) to map aspen’s regional distribution and abundanc
 e using a combination of field\, GIS\, and remote sensing techniques\, (ii
 ) to determine how aspen height growth responds to change in environmental
  conditions associated with spatial proximity to the north pole\, across a
  broad latitudinal gradient from 46° to 54°N latitude\, (iii) to determine
  the factors organizing vegetation community composition in and around asp
 en dominated communities at the landscape scale\, and (iv) to explore the 
 influence of specific environmental factors on aspen abundance at the land
 scape scale near aspen’s NDL.  The key scientific merits of this thesis ar
 e: (i) creation of baseline data characterizing aspen’s geographic range a
 nd associated land cover in northwestern Quebec to allow for more accurate
  comparative and quantitative studies now and in the future\, (ii) develop
 ment and application of a new method for rapid extraction of land cover cl
 assification data in remote areas\, (iii) demonstration that the regional 
 scale pattern of aspen occupancy in the James Bay area of Quebec appears i
 nfluenced by anthropogenic driven disturbance\, (iv) demonstration that as
 pen’s NDL in Quebec is not predominately governed by poor climate\, thus h
 ighlighting the need for more in depth species specific research on determ
 inants of range limits\, and the subsequent factors most appropriate for u
 se in predictive modelling of future tree species’ distributions\, and (v)
  demonstration that gradients related to soil moisture and soil fertility 
 best characterize forest composition and structure at the landscape scale 
 in the study area\, while aspen abundance\, in particular\, is associated 
 with soils high in K\, and inland areas where fire events are more frequen
 t than those on the coast. Together these tools and findings suggest that 
 identifying and understanding species’ distribution and abundance patterns
  is complex and a further grasp of change in species specific patterns acr
 oss their entire ranges is necessary to make informed forest management de
 cisions and predict future outcomes.
DTSTART:20131024T173000Z
DTEND:20131024T173000Z
LOCATION:MS2-022\, Macdonald-Stewart Building\, CA\, QC\, St Anne de Bellev
 ue\, H9X 3V9\, 21111 Lakeshore Road
SUMMARY:Ph.D. Thesis Defense: Ms. Kristen Lee Whitbeck: Understanding aspen
  in the James Bay area of Quebec at multiple scales
URL:/nrs/channels/event/phd-thesis-defense-ms-kristen-
 lee-whitbeck-understanding-aspen-james-bay-area-quebec-
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR