The 2023 wildfire season in Québec: an overview of extreme conditions, impacts, lessons learned and considerations for the future

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 22, 2024

Abstract The 2023 wildfire season in Québec set records due to extreme warm and dry conditions, burning 4.5 million hectares indicating persistent escalating impacts associated with climate change. study reviews the unusual weather conditions that led fires, discussing their extensive on forest sector, fire management, boreal caribou habitats, particularly profound effects First Nation communities. wildfires significant declines productivity timber supply, overwhelming management resources, necessitating widespread evacuations. territories were dramatically altered, facing severe air quality issues disruptions. While modest across province, broader ecological, economical, social repercussions considerable. To mitigate future seasons, suggests changes practices increase resilience resistance, adapting industrial structures new supplies, enhancing suppression risk strategies. It calls for a comprehensive, unified approach incorporates lessons from accounts ongoing underscores urgent need detailed planning proactive measures reduce growing risks of changing climate.

Language: Английский

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A regional integrated assessment of the impacts of climate change and of the potential adaptation avenues for Quebec's forests

Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 53(8), P. 556 - 578

Published: March 23, 2023

Regional analyses assessing the vulnerabilities of forest ecosystems and sector to climate change are key considering heterogeneity impacts as well fact that risks, opportunities, adaptation capacities might differ regionally. Here we provide Integrated Assessment on Quebec's forests, a work involved several research teams focused commercial forests potential solutions. Our showed will alter ecological processes within forests. These changes result in important modifications landscapes. Harvest cumulate with effects further future landscapes, which also have consequences wildlife habitats (including woodland caribou habitat), avian biodiversity, carbon budget, variety landscape values for Indigenous peoples. The be crucial mitigate ecosystem goods services improve their resilience. Moving forward, broad range measures, notably through reducing harvest levels, should explored help strike balance among social, ecological, economic values. We conclude without adaptation, strong negative likely affect

Language: Английский

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Local weather interacts with human disturbances to shape the behaviour of boreal caribou across a large climate gradient

Biodiversity and Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 20, 2025

Language: Английский

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DECOMMISIONED ROAD - AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTIVE MODES?

Public recreation and landscape protection ..., Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16, P. 69 - 75

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Interspecific interactions disrupted by roads

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 99(3), P. 1121 - 1139

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

Roads have pervasive impacts on wildlife, including habitat loss and fragmentation, road mortality, pollution increased human use of habitats surrounding them. However, the effects roads interspecific interactions are less understood. Here we provide a synthesis existing literature how species may be disrupted by roads, identify knowledge gaps, suggest avenues for future research conservation management. We conducted systematic search using Web Science database each interaction (predation, competition, mutualism, parasitism, commensalism amensalism). These searches yielded 2144 articles, which 195 were relevant to our topic. Most these studies focused predation (50%) or competition (24%), frequently mutualism (17%) or, parasitism (9%). found no amensalism. Studies biased towards mammals from high-income countries, with most in USA (34%) Canada (18%). Our review identified several patterns. First, disrupt predator-prey relationships, usually negative prey populations. Second, new disturbed created corridors often benefit more competitive species, such as invasive although some native endangered can also thrive there. Third, degrade mutualistic like seed dispersal pollination. Fourth, increase rates, intensity alteration is specific. To reduce interactions, following management actions: (i) verges should wide heterogenous possible, this increases microhabitat diversity, thus enhancing ecosystem services pollination dispersal; (ii) combining different mowing regimes complexity corridor, enabling it act species; (iii) de-icing salts gradually reduced replaced harmful products maintenance practices; (iv) wildlife passes implemented groups animal concentrations inside them; (v) periodic removal carcasses resource wildlife; (vi) implementation traffic-calming schemes could enhance avoid disruption relationships.

Language: Английский

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Seasonal changes in forest road use by mammals in a heavy snowfall area, north-eastern Japan: effects of management intensities

Journal of Vertebrate Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 73(24001)

Published: April 22, 2024

Forest road use by mammals can vary in response to both the management intensity of forest roads and seasonal changes their environments. We investigated effects heavy snowfall areas on environments with different intensities. The field survey was conducted north-eastern Japan from August 2022 July 2023. Using camera traps, we observed frequency occurrence each species roads, decommissioned interior sites. employed a generalized linear mixed model analyse relationship between events site types seasons. Red foxes occurred significantly more frequently than interiors during all Raccoon dogs selectively used spring winter. However, Japanese martens, hares, wild boar only occasionally roads. These findings suggest that selectivity varies among species, for seasonally.

Language: Английский

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Differential responses of woodland caribou to fire and forestry across boreal and montane ecosystems—a literature review

Forestry An International Journal of Forest Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Oct. 7, 2024

Abstract Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is a landscape-level and planning process that common across North America. A primary tenet of EBM the area intensity anthropogenic disturbance should mimic historical natural focal ecosystem. Biodiversity persist, at least coarse scale, where disturbance, such as forest harvesting, matches disturbance. However, failing some species, particularly those are dependent on old forest. Across many areas Canada, woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) declining because direct indirect effects habitat loss fragmentation. This even though often follows principles EBM. We conducted qualitative comparison responses to wildfire considering broad range responses, including selection distribution, forage, movement patterns, population dynamics. found while harvesting both influence caribou, negative generally greater following harvesting. For example, result in habitat, but more likely shift, abandon or contract their response harvest. The literature also suggested stronger harvest when compared wildfire. difference could be residual structure associated with well extensive resource roads necessary for forestry operations. Although there sound theoretical support EBM, practice, implemented, may not effective maintaining ultimately populations caribou.

Language: Английский

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Factors Affecting Earthwork Volume in Forest Road Construction on Steep Terrain

Land, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12(2), P. 400 - 400

Published: Feb. 2, 2023

Forest roads, as a prerequisite for high-quality forest management, should be optimally distributed in order to avoid negative environmental impacts and best fulfill their task. In the design phase of it is necessary know which factors influence most volume earthworks enable designer adapt terrain requirements. this paper impact an average cross slope carriageway value road on cut fill analyzed. The research was carried out area management unit Trovrh–Kik, characterized by irregular with slopes ranging between 27 58%, some micro locations even up 84%. On eight based standard cross-section profiles, (difference ground level grade level) per 1 m route obtained coefficients determination indicate strong correlation (R2 = 0.6841), moderate 0.5619). Unlike volume, weak 0.2076) or case 0.3167). basis analyzed determined that 0.051 m, where difference minimum actual −0.09 m. It can concluded that, terrains large varying slopes, there no unique model factor could describe required construction road. However, beyond doubt increase caused aforementioned volumes.

Language: Английский

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Balancing wildlife protection and wildfire threat mitigation using a network optimization approach

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 6

Published: July 24, 2023

In boreal forests of North America, land managers often carry out preventive treatments forest fuel for the protection human infrastructure from wildfires. However, these may negatively affect other ecosystem services, such as capacity to sustain wildlife populations. Here, we examine efficacy a strategy aimed at preserving critical movement corridor woodland caribou ( Rangifer tarandus ) in northern Québec, Canada, by raising high-voltage power line conductors above canopy. To assess interplay between objectives and reduction line's exposure wildfires, developed an optimization model that combines protecting wildfires via maintaining suitable caribou. The node detection (CND) problem with habitat connectivity allocates minimum-resistance fixed-width isolated refuges. Our results identify best locations perform fire lessen threat damage while present future climate scenarios. selected treatment mitigate wildfire line. small-budget solutions, was reduced 36–39% current conditions 20–31% climate, compared no-treatment Despite detrimental effects on both industrial asset habitat, approach provides strategies help achieve compromise two values. Such knowledge is timely negative impacts change livelihoods natural ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Vehicular traffic frequency and environmental factors affect forest road use by ground-dwelling mammals in northeastern Japan: Management intensity matters

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 572, P. 122318 - 122318

Published: Oct. 8, 2024

Language: Английский

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