A grad student in his 4th year.

My research project

Boreal forests are one of the largest terrestrial biomes of the world, spanning Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Northern Europe. Under the climate change, boreal forest ecosystems will change in function and structure, and the altered forests will also affect the climate. This kind of positive feedback may be strong, as a particularly large temperature rise is expected in north, as change in albedo (whiteness of land surface) will be substantial due to the fact that snow and ice surface can be replaced by dark-colored conifers, and peat (accumulated dead plant material in shallow soil) can be decomposed into carbon dioxide rapidly. Using ED and ED-LSM models, changes in boreal forest structure is simulated. Amounts of plant litter input to soil is estimated, and its decomposition is modeled under temperature and moisture conditions under climate change.

Canadian boreal forests

Boreal geomorphology is deeply affected by glaciers and icesheets.  In glacial times, huge, heavy glaciers slowly bulldozed boreal landscapes and soil, rocks, boulders were accumulated along the sides of large river of flowing ice.  These mounds are called glacial till.

The top of glacial till is sandy and water drainage is excessive.  There, drought-tolerant jack pine trees grow.  On the mid-slope of the glaciall till, aspen trees, which requires right amounts of water and nutrients, grow.  At the bottom of the hill, black spruce trees grow on waterlogged peatland.

Field study in boreal forests

Bear signs...

Treats...

Contact

Takeshi Ise

317 Herbaria

22 Divinity Ave.

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA

02138, USA