Drawing from a decade-long collaboration between Japan and Russia, this important volume presents the first major synthesis of current knowledge on the ecophysiology of the coniferous forests growing on permafrost at high latitudes. It presents ecological data for a region long inaccessible to most scientists, and raises important questions about the global carbon balance as these systems are affected by the changing climate.
Making up around 20% of the entire boreal forests of the northern hemisphere, these 'permafrost forest ecosystems' are subject to particular constraints in terms of temperature, nutrient availability, and root space, creating exceptional ecosystem characteristics not known elsewhere. This authoritative text explores their diversity, structure, dynamics and physiology. It provides a comparison of these forests in relation to boreal forests elsewhere, and concludes with an assessment of the potential responses of this unique biome to climate change.
The book will be invaluable to advanced students and researchers interested in boreal vegetation, forest ecology, silviculture and forest soils, as well as to researchers into climate change and the global carbon balance.
Series
Edition
Language
Place of publication
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Research
Illustrations
10 farbige Abbildungen
XXVI, 502 p. 10 illus. in color.
Dimensions
Height: 241 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight
ISBN-13
978-1-4020-9692-1 (9781402096921)
DOI
10.1007/978-1-4020-9693-8
Schweitzer Classification
Ecological Settings.- Floristic Diversity and its Geographical Background in Central Siberia.- Geographical Distribution and Genetics of Siberian Larch Species.- Wildfire Ecology in Continuous Permafrost Zone.- Recovery of Forest Vegetation After Fire Disturbance.- Ecosystem Dynamics and Function.- Biomass and Productivity of Siberian Larch Forest Ecosystems.- Development of Stand Structure in Larch Forests.- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen, and Characteristics of Soil Active Layer in Siberian Permafrost Region.- Soil Respiration in Larch Forests.- Net Ecosystem Exchange of CO2 in Permafrost Larch Ecosystems.- Behavior of Dissolved Organic Carbon in Larch Ecosystems.- Soil Nitrogen Dynamics in Larch Ecosystem.- Hydrological Aspects in a Siberian Larch Forest.- Tree Physiology and The Environment.- Photosynthetic Characteristics of Trees and Shrubs Growing on the North- and South-Facing Slopes in Central Siberia.- Respiration of Larch trees.- Root System Development of Larch Trees Growing on Siberian Permafrost.- Seasonal Changes in Stem Radial Growth of Larix gmelinii in Central Siberia in Relation to its Climatic Responses.- Dendrochronology of Larch Trees Growing on Siberian Permafrost.- Ecosystem Comparisons and Responses to Climate Change.- Characteristics of Larch Forests in Daxingan Mountains, Northeast China.- Carbon Dynamics of Larch Plantations in Northeastern China and Japan.- The Role of Ectomycorrhiza in Boreal Forest Ecosystem.- From Vegetation Zones to Climatypes: Effects of Climate Warming on Siberian Ecosystems.- Effects of Elevated CO2 on Ecophysiological Responses of Larch Species Native to Northeast Eurasia.- Synthesis and Conclusion.- Characteristics of Permafrost Forests in Siberia and Potential Responses to Warming Climate.
