ASSESSING THE SENSITIVITY OF CANADA ECOSYSTEMS TO CLIMATIC-CHANGE

Global warming due to increased concentrations of atmospheric CO2 is expected to be amplified in middle and higher latitudes. Consequently, ecosystems in these latitudes will experience more pronounced climatic variations. This investigation attempts to assess the sensitivity of Canada's ecosystems to climatic change. Potential ecological impacts resulting from global warming are outlined. With this background, the effects of a doubled CO2 climate are applied to a classification model derived from the current ecological setting. Results reveal not only major shifts in ecological boundaries but also changes in the character of these broadly distributed ecosystems.