Coastal moderation of Holocene fire and vegetation change on the Pacific coast of Canada
In the coming century, climate variability is projected to increase in Northeast Pacific coastal areas, increasing the need for land managers to understand how ecosystems are expected to change in response to new or enhanced disturbances. Previous research indicates that the Pacific coast of Canada,...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1504983/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823861062633521152 |
|---|---|
| author | Maggie E. Duncan Marlow G. Pellatt Marlow G. Pellatt Karen E. Kohfeld Karen E. Kohfeld |
| author_facet | Maggie E. Duncan Marlow G. Pellatt Marlow G. Pellatt Karen E. Kohfeld Karen E. Kohfeld |
| author_sort | Maggie E. Duncan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the coming century, climate variability is projected to increase in Northeast Pacific coastal areas, increasing the need for land managers to understand how ecosystems are expected to change in response to new or enhanced disturbances. Previous research indicates that the Pacific coast of Canada, southern British Columbia (BC) experienced warmer and drier climate conditions than present, with higher than modern fire activity during the early Holocene xerothermic interval (9.5 – 7.0 kcal BP). In this study, we reconstructed past climate-fire-vegetation changes from a 13,000-year sediment record from Lost Lake in Vancouver’s Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, BC. Contrary to other sites, the coastal western hemlock forest at this site remained cool and moist with low fire activity throughout the xerothermic period. Instead, peak fire frequencies were observed during the cool and moist Neoglacial period (4.5 kcal BP – present), when human activity became prevalent. These results have implications for the managed watershed’s resilience to fire and response to future warming conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d098261376264762a62d685785e2b216 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-d098261376264762a62d685785e2b2162025-02-10T06:48:31ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2025-02-011310.3389/fevo.2025.15049831504983Coastal moderation of Holocene fire and vegetation change on the Pacific coast of CanadaMaggie E. Duncan0Marlow G. Pellatt1Marlow G. Pellatt2Karen E. Kohfeld3Karen E. Kohfeld4School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, CanadaSchool of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, CanadaParks Canada, Office of the Chief Ecosystem Scientist, Protected Areas Establishment and Conservation Directorate, Vancouver, BC, CanadaSchool of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, CanadaSchool of Environmental Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, CanadaIn the coming century, climate variability is projected to increase in Northeast Pacific coastal areas, increasing the need for land managers to understand how ecosystems are expected to change in response to new or enhanced disturbances. Previous research indicates that the Pacific coast of Canada, southern British Columbia (BC) experienced warmer and drier climate conditions than present, with higher than modern fire activity during the early Holocene xerothermic interval (9.5 – 7.0 kcal BP). In this study, we reconstructed past climate-fire-vegetation changes from a 13,000-year sediment record from Lost Lake in Vancouver’s Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, BC. Contrary to other sites, the coastal western hemlock forest at this site remained cool and moist with low fire activity throughout the xerothermic period. Instead, peak fire frequencies were observed during the cool and moist Neoglacial period (4.5 kcal BP – present), when human activity became prevalent. These results have implications for the managed watershed’s resilience to fire and response to future warming conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1504983/fullpaleoclimatepaleoecologywildfiredisturbancenovel ecosystems |
| spellingShingle | Maggie E. Duncan Marlow G. Pellatt Marlow G. Pellatt Karen E. Kohfeld Karen E. Kohfeld Coastal moderation of Holocene fire and vegetation change on the Pacific coast of Canada Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution paleoclimate paleoecology wildfire disturbance novel ecosystems |
| title | Coastal moderation of Holocene fire and vegetation change on the Pacific coast of Canada |
| title_full | Coastal moderation of Holocene fire and vegetation change on the Pacific coast of Canada |
| title_fullStr | Coastal moderation of Holocene fire and vegetation change on the Pacific coast of Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coastal moderation of Holocene fire and vegetation change on the Pacific coast of Canada |
| title_short | Coastal moderation of Holocene fire and vegetation change on the Pacific coast of Canada |
| title_sort | coastal moderation of holocene fire and vegetation change on the pacific coast of canada |
| topic | paleoclimate paleoecology wildfire disturbance novel ecosystems |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1504983/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT maggieeduncan coastalmoderationofholocenefireandvegetationchangeonthepacificcoastofcanada AT marlowgpellatt coastalmoderationofholocenefireandvegetationchangeonthepacificcoastofcanada AT marlowgpellatt coastalmoderationofholocenefireandvegetationchangeonthepacificcoastofcanada AT karenekohfeld coastalmoderationofholocenefireandvegetationchangeonthepacificcoastofcanada AT karenekohfeld coastalmoderationofholocenefireandvegetationchangeonthepacificcoastofcanada |