NSSI Climate Change/Vegetation Change and Fire Regime in Tundra Ecosystems

Updated 2012-07-25

In tundra areas of Alaska, we need to be able to ascertain that enough old-growth lichen-rich habitats remain for our caribou herds and that habitat diversity is maintained. Examination of long-term range monitoring transects previously deployed in remote tundra areas of Alaska on BLM lands show significant declines in available caribou forage lichens (which are highly sensitive to disturbance and slow-growing) for caribou and reindeer. Post-fire recovery of lichens may be prolonged or questionable under current climate conditions. The principal objective is to determine the magnitude of climate change impacts to tundra and boreal forest fire regime.

Status: Ongoing
Project time span: 2007 -
Data collection: 2007 -
Data processing: 2007 -
Data reporting: 2007 -

Contact information

Contact person: - -
Address: Randi Jandt
Email: vog.mlb.ka@tdnaJ_idnaR

Parameters and Media

Not specified

Geography

Regions studied: Alaska

Data availability

Samples/specimens archived in specimen banks?: No

Methods & Procedures

Procedures and methodology used for, e.g., sampling and sample storage, sample pretreatment, extraction and analysis, including which laboratories are involved, references to methods employed, etc.: Vegetation change and shifting fire regime.

Additional Information

Is this a bi- AND multi-lateral project (i.e. a project involving cooperation between different countries)?: No
Other institutes involved in the project: US Bureau of Land Management (BLM)