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Local scale forest encroachment into alpine habitat: past patterns and future predictions

Westbrook, Matthew R

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2014, MS, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Biological Sciences.
Temperature is a major factor predicting global patterns of forest establishment in alpine habitats. However, factors predicting patterns of forest distribution at the local scale are more discrete. Variation in soil moisture caused by geomorphology, soil characteristics, and facilitation are likely to be more accurate predictors of forest encroachment at the local scale than broad-scale climate pattern. The goals of this research are 1) to describe how forest has changed over time with respect to encroachment into alpine areas at a local scale, 2) to determine non-climatic factors that are important for this forest encroachment, probably by way of regulation of soil moisture and 3) to use these factors to predict where forest is likely to occur. This study was conducted in the front ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains along Jumpingpound Ridge (elevation ˜ 2100 m, lat. 647039.43, long. 5646351.15, UTM zone 11N). I used a GIS analysis of orthorectified aerial photos taken in 1952, 1962, 1982, 1988, 1993, 1999, and 2008 to examine past patterns of forest encroachment and change in forested areas over time. This change included substantial loss of unforested area to forest encroachment along Jumpingpound Ridge from 503 ha in 1952 to 138 ha in 2008, the majority of which occurred from 1952 to 1962 (a loss of 237 ha). Forest encroachment also resulted in increased fragmentation of unforested areas, a decrease in both their size and isolation. I used variables corresponding to soil moisture including geomorphology, facilitation, and soil characteristics in generalized linear models (GLMs) to forecast where trees will occur. Results from generalized linear models indicate that there are very specific geomorphic and facilitative conditions that must be met for further encroachment. Therefore, areas in which all conditions for encroachment are met are significantly limited. Between the three tree species located on Jumpingpound Ridge, encroachment is expected to occur over an additional 13.47 ha (9.7% of total unforested area in 2008).
Stephen Matter, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Edward Arnold Johnson, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
David Lentz, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Hongxing Liu, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Steven Rogstad, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
73 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Westbrook, M. R. (2014). Local scale forest encroachment into alpine habitat: past patterns and future predictions [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1396530374

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Westbrook, Matthew. Local scale forest encroachment into alpine habitat: past patterns and future predictions. 2014. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1396530374.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Westbrook, Matthew. "Local scale forest encroachment into alpine habitat: past patterns and future predictions." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1396530374

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)