Reconstruction of changes in vegetation and trophic conditions of a palsa in a permafrost peatland, subarctic Québec, Canada

Bhiry, Najat; Robert, Élisabeth C.

doi:10.2980/1195-6860(2006)13[56:rociva]2.0.co;2

Cited by 30 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The general composition of the organic matrix (Sphagnum, herbaceous, brown mosses, wood remains) was determined qualitatively from analysis of subsamples [43,44]. A total of 20 samples were subjected to radiocarbon dating by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS).…”

Section: Stratigraphy and Chronologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Fires of the Last Millennium Led to Landscapes Dominated by Early Successional Species in Québec’s Clay Belt Boreal Forest, Canada

Asselin

Grondin

Lavoie

et al. 2016

Forests

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This study presents the long-term (over the last 8000 years) natural variability of a portion of the Picea mariana-moss bioclimatic domain belonging to Québec's Clay Belt. The landscapes are dominated by mesic-subhydric clay and early successional forests composed of Populus tremuloides, Pinus banksiana and Picea mariana. The natural variability (fires and vegetation) of one of these landscapes was reconstructed by means of pollen and macroscopic charcoal analysis of sedimentary archives from two peatlands in order to assess when and how such landscapes were formed. Following an initial afforestation period dominated by Picea (8000-6800 cal. Years BP), small and low-severity fires favored the development and maintenance of landscapes dominated by Picea and Abies balsamea during a long period (6800-1000 BP). Over the last 1000 years, fires have become more severe and covered a larger area. These fires initiated a recurrence dynamic of early successional stands maintained until today. A decline of Abies balsamea has occurred over the last centuries, while the pollen representation of Pinus banksiana has recently reached its highest abundance. We hypothesize that the fire regime of the last millennium could characterize Québec's Clay Belt belonging to the western Picea mariana-moss and Abies balsamea-Betula papyrifera domains.

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Section: Stratigraphy and Chronologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Fires of the Last Millennium Led to Landscapes Dominated by Early Successional Species in Québec’s Clay Belt Boreal Forest, Canada

Asselin

Grondin

Lavoie

et al. 2016

Forests

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“…The elevation of the lakes at KWK are well above the nearby creek shown in Figure 2. Lakes at SAS are located in peatlands within rapidly degrading permafrost mounds (Bhiry and Robert, 2006). The landscape is relatively flat at SAS and BGR, whereas slight topographic relief exists at NAS and KWK sites owing to rocky hills and steep trenches.…”

Section: Study Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape-gradient assessment of thermokarst lake hydrology using water isotope tracers

Narancic

Wolfe

Pienitz

et al. 2017

Journal of Hydrology

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Please cite this article as: Narancic, B., Wolfe, B.B., Pienitz, R., Meyer, H., Lamhonwah, D., Landscape-gradient assessment of thermokarst lake hydrology using water isotope tracers, Journal of Hydrology (2016), doi: http:// dx.doi.org/10. 1016/j.jhydrol.2016.11.028 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.1 Landscape-gradient assessment of thermokarst lake hydrology using water isotope -Water isotopes are used to characterize thermokarst lake hydrology in Nunavik, Canada.-Rainfall and/or permafrost meltwater are the main lake water sources.-Maritime climate enhances the hydrological resiliency of thermokarst lakes.-Terrestrial carbon inputs from surface runoff are likely to increase in the future.-Thermokarst lakes will persist and methane emissions are likely to increase.3 ABSTRACT Thermokarst lakes are widespread in arctic and subarctic regions. In subarctic Québec (Nunavik), they have grown in number and size since the mid-20 th century.Recent studies have identified that these lakes are important sources of greenhouse gases. This is mainly due to the supply of catchment-derived dissolved organic carbon that generates anoxic conditions leading to methane production. To assess the potential role of climate-driven changes in hydrological processes to influence greenhouse-gas emissions, we utilized water isotope tracers to characterize the water balance of thermokarst lakes in Nunavik during three consecutive mid-to late summer seasons (2012)(2013)(2014). Lake distribution stretches from shrub-tundra overlying discontinuous permafrost in the north to spruce-lichen woodland with sporadic permafrost in the south.Calculation of lake-specific input water isotope compositions ( I ) and lake-specific evaporation-to-inflow (E/I) ratios based on an isotope-mass balance model reveal a narrow hydrological gradient regardless of diversity in regional landscape characteristics. Nearly all lakes sampled were predominantly fed by rainfall and/or permafrost meltwater, which suppressed the effects of evaporative loss. Only a few lakes in one of the southern sampling locations, which overly highly degraded sporadic permafrost terrain, appear to be susceptible to evaporative lake-level drawdown. We attribute this lake hydrological resiliency to the strong maritime climate in coastal regions of Nunavik. Predicted climate-driven increases in precipitation and permafrost degradation will likely contribute to persistence and expansion of thermokarst lakes throughout the region. If coupled with an increase in terrestrial carbon inputs to thermokarst lakes from surface runoff, conditions favorable for mineralizatio...

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“…However, models project that the HBL has already surpassed its temperature threshold for maintaining permafrost (Koven et al, 2011), or will do so by 2020 (Zhang et al, 2008). Permafrost thawing is, therefore, an important concern Bhiry and Robert (2006) because MAAT in the HBL is projected to rise between 2.5 and 8.0 °C, with the most rapid warming occurring in the most permafrostdense area in the region (Gagnon and Gough, 2005;McKenney et al, 2010). Yet, variable ALT may impede documenting current and future implications to landscape C balances.…”

Section: Permafrost Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

CO₂Exchanges within Zones of Rapid Conversion from Permafrost Plateau to Bog and Fen Land Cover Types

Chasmer

Kenward

Quinton

et al. 2012

Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research

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Reconstruction of changes in vegetation and trophic conditions of a palsa in a permafrost peatland, subarctic Québec, Canada

Cited by 30 publications

References 40 publications

Fires of the Last Millennium Led to Landscapes Dominated by Early Successional Species in Québec’s Clay Belt Boreal Forest, Canada

Fires of the Last Millennium Led to Landscapes Dominated by Early Successional Species in Québec’s Clay Belt Boreal Forest, Canada

Landscape-gradient assessment of thermokarst lake hydrology using water isotope tracers

CO₂Exchanges within Zones of Rapid Conversion from Permafrost Plateau to Bog and Fen Land Cover Types

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Reconstruction of changes in vegetation and trophic conditions of a palsa in a permafrost peatland, subarctic Québec, Canada

Cited by 30 publications

References 40 publications

Fires of the Last Millennium Led to Landscapes Dominated by Early Successional Species in Québec’s Clay Belt Boreal Forest, Canada

Fires of the Last Millennium Led to Landscapes Dominated by Early Successional Species in Québec’s Clay Belt Boreal Forest, Canada

Landscape-gradient assessment of thermokarst lake hydrology using water isotope tracers

CO2Exchanges within Zones of Rapid Conversion from Permafrost Plateau to Bog and Fen Land Cover Types

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CO₂Exchanges within Zones of Rapid Conversion from Permafrost Plateau to Bog and Fen Land Cover Types