A case study of moisture regime on Pinus banksiana across Ontario

Abstract

With climate change affecting the boreal forest there are many consequences to plant species on different site types that can be detrimental to their longevity and productivity, affecting ecosystem health. In this study moisture regime effect on Pinus banksiana Lamb. (jack pine) productivity was explored. This study shows that mean annual increment on the moisture regimes 0-2 are the most productive annual with DBH growth and height growth. The introduced climatic stressors such as raised temperature can negatively impact these sites and allow for a major amount of drought stress to take place, which will hinder the productivity of this widely used commercial species. There will also be a shift in moisture regime for the regimes 3-7 causing these to become drier. This could allow for the fresh (3) and the moist sites (4-7) to become more productive as they dry out.