title: Boreal forest health and global change.
abstract: The boreal forest, one of the largest biomes on Earth, provides ecosystem services that benefit society at levels ranging from local to global. Currently, about two-thirds of the area covered by this biome is under some form of management, mostly for wood production. Services such as climate regulation are also provided by both the unmanaged and managed boreal forests. Although most of the boreal forests have retained the resilience to cope with current disturbances, projected environmental changes of unprecedented speed and amplitude pose a substantial threat to their health. Management options to reduce these threats are available and could be implemented, but economic incentives and a greater focus on the boreal biome in international fora are needed to support further adaptation and mitigation actions.
authors: Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, Québec, Quebec G1V 4C7, Canada. sylvie.gauthier@rncan.gc.ca.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Gauthier
authors: Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, Québec, Quebec G1V 4C7, Canada.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Bernier
authors: Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kuuluvainen
authors: Ecosystems Services and Management Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria.
authors: A Z
authors: AZ
authors: Shvidenko
authors: Ecosystems Services and Management Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria.
authors: D G
authors: DG
authors: Schepaschenko
mesh_terms: D057231:Climate Change; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D066188:Taiga; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology