Boreal Forest Silty Slopes Moist
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
Disturbance leads to the thermal erosion of ground ice and the subsidence of soil resulting in formation of thermokarst depressions.
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
The reference plant community is open needleleaf forest (Viereck et al. 1992) with the dominant tree being white and black spruce. There are five plant communities in the reference state related to fire. All plant communities associated with the site have limited data, so the state-and-transition model is provisional.
Submodel
States 1, 5 and 2 (additional transitions)
1.1. Reference Stage
1.5. Pioneering fire stage
1.2. Late fire stage
Description
Thermokarst occurs due to the thermal erosion of ice-rich permafrost in soil after disturbances such as fire events or land clearing. While thermokarst can be readily observed, details related to thermokarst succession are poorly understood. After an unknown timeframe, thermokarst depressions could theoretically revert back to plant communities associated with the reference state (Myers-Smith et al. 2008). However, the timeframe for recovery is likely outside the scope of typical land management priorities. At this time, restoration back to reference conditions is not considered within the state-and-transition model.
Future data collection efforts and research would likely enhance information about existing plant community phases within this state and allow for better understanding of the potential transitions from one community phase or state to another.
Submodel
Model keys
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