Boreal forest disturbance impacts on biogeochemical cycling

Izbicki, Brian (2023) Boreal forest disturbance impacts on biogeochemical cycling. Doctoral thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

Boreal forests harbor as much carbon (C) as the atmosphere and significant amounts of organic nitrogen (N). In the boreal biome, the primary disturbance is wildfire, which consumes plant biomass and soil material, emits greenhouse gasses, and influences long-term C and N cycling. Climate warming and drying is increasing wildfire severity and frequency and is combusting more soil organic matter (SOM) and plant biomass. Changes in fire regimes and subsequent modifications to biogeochemical cycling will have global implications. It is important to understand how fire interacts with other ecosystem processes to understand the potential impacts on C and N dynamics. In this dissertation each chapter investigated the interactive effects of climate warming and wildfire in boreal ecosystems to better understand feedbacks to global biogeochemical cycling. Together the findings of this dissertation indicate wildfire significantly alters C and N pools and fluxes and are critical for understanding how future ecosystems will respond to climate warming.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	black spruce; carbon; nitrogen; permafrost; wildfire; climate change; C cycle; N cycle
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SD Forestry
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences > Biological Sciences
Date Deposited:	23 Jul 2026 21:49
Last Modified:	23 Jul 2026 21:49
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6299

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