Satellite-based evidence for shrub and graminoid tundra expansion in northern Quebec from 1986 to 2010

Global vegetation models predict rapid poleward migration of tundra and boreal forest vegetation in response to climate warming. Local plot and air‐photo studies have documented recent changes in high‐latitude vegetation composition and structure, consistent with warming trends. To bridge these two...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Global change biology 2012-07, Vol.18 (7), p.2313-2323
Main Authors: McManus, kelly M., Morton, Douglas C., Masek, Jeffrey G., Wang, Dongdong, Sexton, Joseph O., Nagol, Jyoteshwar R., Ropars, Pascale, Boudreau, Stéphane
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Arctic ecosystems
Artificial satellites
Biological and medical sciences
Climate change
climate-induced vegetation response
Forests
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Global warming
Landsat
remote sensing
Synecology
Terrestrial ecosystems
time-series analysis
Vegetation mapping
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Summary:Global vegetation models predict rapid poleward migration of tundra and boreal forest vegetation in response to climate warming. Local plot and air‐photo studies have documented recent changes in high‐latitude vegetation composition and structure, consistent with warming trends. To bridge these two scales of inference, we analyzed a 24‐year (1986–2010) Landsat time series in a latitudinal transect across the boreal forest‐tundra biome boundary in northern Quebec province, Canada. This region has experienced rapid warming during both winter and summer months during the last 40 years. Using a per‐pixel (30 m) trend analysis, 30% of the observable (cloud‐free) land area experienced a significant (P 
ISSN:1354-1013
1365-2486
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2012.02708.x