Positive Feedback Between Tree Establishment and Patterns of Subalpine Forest Advancement, Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.A

Bekker, Matthew F.

doi:10.1657/1523-0430(2005)037[0097:pfbtea]2.0.co;2

Cited by 120 publications

(125 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…The TTE, and other forest ecotones, can be conceptualized as self-organizing systems because of the feedbacks between the spatial patterns of groups of trees and associated ecological processes (Bekker, 2005;Malanson et al, 2006). In this conceptual model groups of trees with similar vertical and horizontal structural characteristics can be represented as forest patches.…”

Section: A Conceptual Model Of the Tte: Forest Patches Ecotone Formmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spaceborne potential for examining taiga–tundra ecotone form and vulnerability

et al. 2016

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Abstract. In the taiga-tundra ecotone (TTE), site-dependent forest structure characteristics can influence the subtle and heterogeneous structural changes that occur across the broad circumpolar extent. Such changes may be related to ecotone form, described by the horizontal and vertical patterns of forest structure (e.g., tree cover, density, and height) within TTE forest patches, driven by local site conditions, and linked to ecotone dynamics. The unique circumstance of subtle, variable, and widespread vegetation change warrants the application of spaceborne data including high-resolution (< 5 m) spaceborne imagery (HRSI) across broad scales for examining TTE form and predicting dynamics. This study analyzes forest structure at the patch scale in the TTE to provide a means to examine both vertical and horizontal components of ecotone form. We demonstrate the potential of spaceborne data for integrating forest height and density to assess TTE form at the scale of forest patches across the circumpolar biome by (1) mapping forest patches in study sites along the TTE in northern Siberia with a multi-resolution suite of spaceborne data and (2) examining the uncertainty of forest patch height from this suite of data across sites of primarily diffuse TTE forms. Results demonstrate the opportunities for improving patch-scale spaceborne estimates of forest height, the vertical component of TTE form, with HRSI. The distribution of relative maximum height uncertainty based on prediction intervals is centered at ∼ 40 %, constraining the use of height for discerning differences in forest patches. We discuss this uncertainty in light of a conceptual model of general ecotone forms and highlight how the uncertainty of spaceborne estimates of height can contribute to the uncertainty in identifying TTE forms. A focus on reducing the uncertainty of height estimates in forest patches may improve depiction of TTE form, which may help explain variable forest responses in the TTE to climate change and the vulnerability of portions of the TTE to forest structure change.

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Section: A Conceptual Model Of the Tte: Forest Patches Ecotone Formmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spaceborne potential for examining taiga–tundra ecotone form and vulnerability

et al. 2016

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“…th century, Glacier National Park experienced upward expansion of the ecotone (Bekker 2005), although in the 20 th century, density of existing patches increased but advance was limited (Klasner and Fagre 2002).…”

Section: For Example In the 19mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of climatic variability and change on forest ecosystems: a comprehensive science synthesis for the U.S

Vose¹,

Peterson²,

Patel-Weynand³

2012

104

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“…Snow near treeline therefore appears to play two contrasting roles: by an extended seasonal presence, it facilitates seedling growth by protection against winter conditions up to a point; beyond that point it reduces the length of the growing season sufficiently to suppress growth (Bekker, 2005;Elliott and Kipfmueller, 2010). There is a fine line between these contrasting functions, because trees near treeline are already at their physiological limit and even the slightest reduction in growing season may be sufficient to suppress growth.…”

Section: / Arctic Antarctic and Alpine Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%