Date

Conference Announcement
Climate Change Impacts on Boreal Forest Disturbance Regimes
30 May-2 June 2007
University of Alaska Fairbanks

Early Registration Deadline: Wednesday, 18 April 2007

For further information, please go to:
http://www.icddbf.uaf.edu

or contact:
Doreen Fitzgerald
E-mail: fndlf2 [at] uaf.edu


The School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences and the
Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research Program at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) announce "Climate Change Impacts on Boreal Forest
Disturbance Regimes," an international science conference being held at
UAF on 30 May-2 June 2007. The meeting is the Sixth International
Conference on Disturbance Dynamics in Boreal Forests and will emphasize
the potential interactions between climate change and disturbance
dynamics and effects.

Interactions between climate change, disturbance dynamics, and species
resilience will likely lead to rapid, important, and surprising changes
in vegetation composition and the structure and function of boreal
forests. These changes will be driven by alteration of the disturbance
dynamics in combination with species' abilities to regenerate in a
changing climatic regime. To project and manage the future structure,
diversity, and function of the boreal forest, it is important to
comprehend how interactions of climate with disturbance - particularly
fire, insects, and disease - currently drive stand and ecosystem
dynamics of the boreal forest.

Conference objectives include:
- assess the state of knowledge of current and potential impacts of
climate change on circumboreal disturbance dynamics;
- assess future impacts of climate change on the management of forested
ecosystems across the circumboreal region;
- initiate the development of an integrated research framework to
address climate change impact at a circumboreal scale; and
- facilitate exchange of ideas among circumboreal countries.

Early registration is available until Wednesday, 18 April 2007, on the
conference website at:
http://www.icddbf.uaf.edu