Adim Ijeaku Jane

Doctorat sur mesure en Sciences naturelles

Modélisation du carbone forestier et de l'albédo à l'échelle du paysage pour évaluer le potentiel de différentes stratégies de gestion forestière sur l'atténuation du changement climatique.
adii05@uqo.ca mail_outline
Supervisé par : Frédérik Doyon

Thèmes de recherches

Temperate Forest, Carbon dynamics, Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Forest management strategies, Climate Change, Surface Albedo, Beech Bark Disease, LANDIS-II, Radiative Forcing

The potential for mitigating climate change (CC) in Quebec’s temperate forests using nature-based solutions is not fully understood and may require improved forest management strategies (FMS). However, the cooling effect of an improved carbon balance can be offset by the warming effect of reduced forest reflectivity (surface albedo changes), emphasizing the need to consider both factors in FMS for CC mitigation. Uncertainties about CC, natural disturbances, and new stresses like beech bark disease (BBD) complicate this task. This study will evaluate various FMS to optimize carbon sequestration and surface albedo changes, employing the LANDIS-II model with ForCS and Biomass Harvest extensions. The assessment will span a 120-year period (2000 – 2120), evaluating different FMS in the current climate, assessing their effects on carbon pools and fluxes (particularly of the dead organic matter – DOM), and including the effect of American Beech proliferation and BBD spreading. The study will also evaluate the impact of nature-based climate solutions on carbon pools, fluxes, and surface albedo under current and future climates, identifying efficient strategies for a net cooling effect. The ForCS extension will be used to calculate the net sector productivity (NSP) which integrates aboveground and belowground carbon dynamics, disturbances, and the fate of forest products. This study will provide valuable insights for forest managers, policymakers, and stakeholders on effective strategies for mitigating CC while addressing other relevant forest management objectives and tailoring practices to the unique challenges and opportunities of the region.