Final Review: BEC changes/ Climate Change/Carbon Flashcards
(15 cards)
What are some indications in forestry in Canada that climate change is underway? in BC?
Mountain Pine Beetle Increased fire in Western boreal forest Aspen diebacks in prairies Changes in forest composition and productivity Habitats disappear or shift New climate Fire Winter forestry operations decreasing Exotic species invasion
Where is carbon stored in a forest ecosystem
Above and below ground tissues of all plants Woody debris of dead and fallen trees Forest Floor Mineral Soil Tissue of detritivores
How do we manage forests for carbon sequestration?
sustainably harvest trees for fuel-replace fossil fuels
increased planting=increased woodland cover=increased carbon
carbon storage more efficient in young, growing trees
wood harvested for building and construction keeps its carbon locked up
What is the optimal level of emission?
When costs to the industry and ecological costs balance out and meet in the middle
3 methods for governments to put a cost on pollution?Pros and cons?
Carbon Tax
PROS: could change consumer behavior, get industry to be more energy efficient(encourages alternatives), raises revenues
CONS:production could shift to countries with lower or no carbon tax-china
costs of administering
Set Standards
Tradeable permit system:Carbon Credits
PROS: In cases where emissions are inevitable, offsets provide a way to try to remediate the effects.
CONS:Offsetting accounts for a fraction of all emissions produced. Long term we need to radically cut our emissions rather than mitigate them
define afforestation:
planting trees where none have existed for 20 years
reforestation:
planting, seeding, or promoting natural seed growth
avoided deforestation:
conservation
Refers to the prevention or reduction of forest loss in order to reduce emissions of global warming gases..
what are 2 theories in how ecosystems form? which is used in the BEC classification system?
- Ecosystems always move through seral stages through to climax (BEC uses)
- Ecosystems are constantly changing and evolving
Why doesn’t classification work in a cut block?
Because you’ve removed the climax species, and the theory would no longer be able to be applied
What makes the BEC system useful in the face of climate change?
Because it’s not based on vegetation, which is the most consistently changing aspect of climate change. If vegetation differs, we can still use the same BEC specifications, because they are based more so on SMR/SNR/Slope, etc, and those will not change drastically enough. They could shift, but will still be recognizable.
How do we adapt(socially and biologically) in the era of climate change? (How do we prepare?)
Society:
lower society’s expectations-manage those
use more salvage wood
look at/improve processing technology
revise expectations on resource use
renewability/sustainability no longer apply
advise our conservation objectives
what exactly do we want our ecosystems to do?
Biologically:
genetic enhancement
assisted migration
figure out where the tree will grow better based on climate changing(Pa)
“Y2Y” initiative-Yukon to Yellowstone: trying to create corridors of movement from Yukon to Yellowstone for carnivores
use variety of different species
fire smart landscapes
forest carbon management
What does Rachel predict will occur to seasonal climate in the West Koots?
She believes there will be more precip in the winter, and an overall temperature increase.
There will be more precip in the spring, hotter, dryer summers, and more precip in the fall because the snow will fall as rain.
What are the implications in forestry of rachel’s climate change predictions?
longer fire seasons
what should we be doing to manage our forests to prepare for climate change?
fire: get ride of fuel loading.
Plant fire resistant species.
Pay attention to what’s happening in our ecosystems.
Keep in mind that vegetation is migrating north, plant accordingly(move sites that were previously south more northward), and manage those ecosystems as you would the ones that were further south. Upper most elevated ecosystems are thought to have the best chance of survival. (ASSISTED MIGRATION)
