Photo credit: BV Research Centre
Alana Clason - M.Sc Student
Renewable Resources
U. of Alberta
Contact information:
aclason@ualberta.ca
Welcome to this website dedicated to my current research on Whitebark pine-lichen ecosystems in NW BC. Please note that all data and results presented here are for the purposes of a university course.
Abstract:
Whitebark pine-lichen ecosystems are currently experiencing significant environmental change due to the cumulative effects of Mountain Pine Beetle, white pine blister rust, fire suppression and the potential stress of a changing climate. While these disturbances may target Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), they may also greatly influence the understory vegetation communities in these stands through changes in the overstory. This study looks to examine how forest vegetation communities affected by multiple stresses may respond to disturbance. Preliminary results indicate that site characteristics pre-disturbance may influence direction of change. For instance, drier sites appear to be increasing the lichen component in the understory, while slightly moister sites are increasing bryophyte abundance. The overall driest communities containing P. albicaulis may potentially be shifting towards a composition more similar to slightly wetter sites pre-disturbance. Overall significance of these initial findings is in the development of testable alternative hypotheses.
Photo credit: Mark Wong