***ALL PRESENTATIONS WILL BE IN THE WOOD CENTER BALLROOM ON THE UAF CAMPUS***
Sponsorship
The School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences Department of Forest Sciences and the Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks announce an international science conference on "Climate Change Impacts on Boreal Forest Disturbance Regimes" to be held in Fairbanks, Alaska 30 May - 2 June 2007 on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus in the Wood Center Ballroom.
Background

Recent Disturbance Dynamics Workshops have concentrated on understanding impacts of disturbance. The 4th Workshop, held in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada focused on ecological consequences. The 5th Workshop, held in Dubna, Russia concentrated on large scale disturbances, such as fire, and on forest management practices involving clear-cutting, windfall, plant diversity, and tree recruitment. Planning for the 6th Workshop builds on these previous results by emphasizing the potential interactions between climate change and disturbance dynamics and effects in boreal forests.

Interactions between climate change, disturbance dynamics, and species resilience will likely lead to rapid, important and surprising changes in vegetation composition and the structure and function of boreal forests. These changes will be driven by alteration of the disturbance dynamics in combination with species' abilities to regenerate in a changing climatic regime. To project and manage the future structure, diversity, and function of the boreal forest, it is important to comprehend how interactions of climate with disturbance-particularly fire, insects, and disease-currently drive stand and ecosystem dynamics of the boreal forest. .
Conference Objectives
  • To assess the state of our knowledge of the current and potential impacts of climate change on circumboreal disturbance dynamics
  • To assess future impacts of climate change on the management of forested ecosystems across the circumboreal region
  • To initiate the development of an integrated research framework to address climate change impact at a circumboreal scale
  • To facilitate exchange of ideas among circumboreal countries