Participation of Florence Leduc at the « 34th European Dendroecological Fieldweek 2024 »!
Florence Leduc, PhD student in forestry sciences under the supervision of Alexis Achim, had the opportunity to participate in the «34th European Dendroecological Fieldweek 2024», held August 23-30, 2024 in Bardonecchia (Italy). The EDF is a week-long workshop held annually at various locations in Europe, under the motto “Bring tree-ring research to the people”. The event welcomes early-career and advanced researchers, as well as employees of forestry services, other federal agencies, and individuals with a passion for dendrochronology, from all over the world. It covers a wide range of field, laboratory and data analysis methods in disciplines such as climatology, ecology, physiology, geomorphology and archaeology. EDF explores scales of observation ranging from the individual cell to the ecosystem, and from seasonal to multi-hundred-year periods.
At this event, Florence presented her research entitled « Climate-growth relationships of various deciduous and coniferous species in the humid climate of Nova Scotia, Canada: are some species responding positively to climate change? ». She analyzes the main climatic factors influencing the growth of sugar maple and red spruce in Nova Scotia, while assessing the impact of site conditions on these climate-growth relationships. Her study aims to improve prediction of future tree growth in a changing climate, and to guide forest management decisions to promote forest adaptation.
The CRMR’s student mobility program provided crucial financial support, making this enriching experience possible. Thanks to this support, Florence was able to represent her institution and play an active role in the advancement of research in her field.
Congratulations to Florence on this achievement, and we wish her every success in her academic and professional career!
Abstract: Climate-growth relationships of various deciduous and coniferous species in the humid climate of Nova Scotia, Canada: are some species responding positively to climate change?
Nova Scotia’s Acadian forest is characterized by a strong presence of mixed stands where both hardwood and softwood species coexist. Nova Scotia has a large climatic gradient, with a temperate, humid climate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, this province features climatic conditions expected to eventually be found further north in the country with climate warming. Red spruce and sugar maple are two important species in the Acadian forest, known for their sensitivity to acid rain and acute climate events, which led to a significant growth decline in the 1980s. While modeling studies indicate a future climate less suited to red spruce, empirical data have shown that the current trend is towards accelerated growth due to the higher temperatures observed in recent years in the eastern United States. In contrast, sugar maple has increased growth potential according to several models but has shown low growth rates in the eastern U.S. and Quebec in recent decades despite reduced acid rain. In the present project, we identified the main climatic factors influencing the growth of sugar maple and red spruce in Nova Scotia and assessed the influence of site conditions on the climate-growth relationships identified. This will enable us to better predict future growth in a changing climate, and to better guide management decisions to promote forest adaptation.