Yassine Messaoud

TL;DR: The climate-related northward decrease in reproductive potential of balsam fir and white spruce could partly explain the position of the northern limit of the mixedwood forest.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify the ecological variables explaining the transition between two zones within the boreal biome in Quebec (eastern Canada): the southern mixedwood forests dominated by balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and white birch (Betula papyrifera), and the northern coniferous forests dominating by black spruce (Picea mariana).

TL;DR: The authors found from a synthesis of tree species in North America that climate-condition interactions dominate responses through two pathways: effects of growth that depend on climate, and effects of climate that depends on tree size.

TL;DR: In this article, site index values of balsam fir and black spruce were compared in 364 sites spread across the boreal zone of northwestern Quebec to determine if the northward dominance shift from balsams fir to black-spruce could be explained by a difference in height growth.

TL;DR: The boreal ecocline (ca 49°N) between the southern mixedwood and the northern coniferous bioclimatic domain may be explained by a northward decrease of balsam fir regeneration, explaining the gradual shift to black spruce dominance.