Alaska Boreal Forest Soils Lab

Our research focuses on the ecophysiological and ecohydrological responses of Interior Alaska's boreal forest to climate, environmental, and vegetation change.

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The boreal forest is experiencing the impacts of climate change, including rising air temperatures, increased variability in precipitation, ecological drought, shifts in the timing of the growing season, changes in the climate conditions during the shoulder seasons (spring and fall), increased wildfire risk, and increased risk of damage from pathogens. The boreal forest is believed to be a bellwether for Arctic change, with the impacts of climate change experienced first compared to lower latitudes. To predict how the boreal forest will respond to climate change in the future, it is imperative to integrate our understanding of how forests responded to environmental stressors in the past with how forests are responding to current environmental stressors.

 

The field of Ecophysiology looks at plant, soil, or ecosystem physiological responses, like photosynthesis and water use, to climate, soil conditions, and other factors. Ecohydrology looks at how ecosystems use water from day-to-day, over a season, and over the years, and how this water use impacts soils, climate, and streams. 

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Specific things we research include how plants use, store, and move water to the atmosphere. This water use impacts many things that are external to the plant, like drying the soil and wetting the atmosphere (contributing to creating clouds and rain). Measuring water use informs us about how the plant is responding to a variety of weather conditions, including very dry and very wet periods. Are they tolerating it, thriving in it, or shutting down? How do different species and plant types (shrubs, deciduous trees, evergreen trees) respond?  

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We also explore how the timing of water availability and climate conditions affects plant growth, like wood growth and leaf development. We have sensors that let us know precisely when trees start and end their growth for that year. We are finding that climate change is impacting how much the trees are growing and when they start and stop.

Click here to learn about all our current projects.  

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We are applying our data and knowledge about to inform people as to when they should harvest trees for firewood. Since the amount of water in trees varies over the year, the better times to harvest are those when the tree is naturally dry. This reduces the amount of time needed to dry the split and stacked wood before burning it to heat their homes. 

Click here to learn about the firewood project. 

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