The primary objective of this research initiative is to assess the state of CO2 gas source/sink strength and evapotranspiration losses of terrestrial ecosystems in the climatically sensitive western boreal forest – subarctic transition zone and to understand the mechanisms that control carbon balance so that we can predict its potential fate under a changing climate. The research proposed here focuses on trace gas fluxes and evapotranspiration, and takes the geograhical focus of the Boreal Forest to Subarctic Tundra transition zone, as this is the region expected to experience the most rapid response to any climatic variability. Special emphasis is on landuse disturbance (i.e. canopy removal and surface alterations) on radiative/thermal regimes and the resultant impacts on mass fluxes to the atmosphere. This research incorporates a range of investigative techniques ranging from chamber and micrometeorological mass flux measurements and lidar based remote sensing. Done in collaboration with Dr.M. English (Wilfrid Laurier University), Dr. K. Devito (University of Alberta), Dr. L. Chasmer ( University of Waterloo), Dr. R. Schincario (Western University), Dr. B. Branfireun (Western University) and Dr. S. Carey (Carleton University).The primary objective of this research initiative is to assess the state of CO2 gas source/sink strength and evapotranspiration losses of terrestrial ecosystems in the climatically sensitive western boreal forest – subarctic transition zone and to understand the mechanisms that control carbon balance so that we can predict its potential fate under a changing climate. The research proposed here focuses on trace gas fluxes and evapotranspiration, and takes the geograhical focus of the Boreal Forest to Subarctic Tundra transition zone, as this is the region expected to experience the most rapid response to any climatic variability. Special emphasis is on landuse disturbance (i.e. canopy removal and surface alterations) on radiative/thermal regimes and the resultant impacts on mass fluxes to the atmosphere. This research incorporates a range of investigative techniques ranging from chamber and micrometeorological mass flux measurements and lidar based remote sensing. Done in collaboration with Dr.M. English (Wilfrid Laurier University), Dr. K. Devito (University of Alberta), Dr. L. Chasmer ( University of Waterloo), Dr. R. Schincario (Western University), Dr. B. Branfireun (Western University) and Dr. S. Carey (Carleton University).
