Scott E. Nielsen
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View article: Composite effects of fire and seismic lines reduce non-native plant infiltration along roads in a western North American boreal forest
Composite effects of fire and seismic lines reduce non-native plant infiltration along roads in a western North American boreal forest Open
Invasion by non-native species threatens biodiversity, disrupts population dynamics and alters community composition. Roads are major contributors to the infiltration of non-native plants into adjacent native habitats. Less is known about …
View article: Integrating climate‐change exposure and refugia into landscape planning: A practical guide
Integrating climate‐change exposure and refugia into landscape planning: A practical guide Open
Climate change is reshaping landscapes in ways that challenge conventional approaches to conservation and resource planning. The concept of climate‐change refugia—areas with the potential to buffer species and ecosystems from the effects o…
View article: Herbivory Dominates the Spring Diet of American Black Bears (<scp><i>Ursus americanus</i></scp>) in a Wood Bison (<scp><i>Bison bison athabascae</i></scp>) Neonatal Range, Suggesting Minimal Bison Consumption
Herbivory Dominates the Spring Diet of American Black Bears (<span><i>Ursus americanus</i></span>) in a Wood Bison (<span><i>Bison bison athabascae</i></span>) Neonatal Range, Suggesting Minimal Bison Consumption Open
Studying an organism's foraging behavior, especially for predator species, provides insight into their ecology, habitat needs, and interspecific relationships. American black bears ( Ursus americanus ) are generalist omnivores, with a diet…
View article: Early Succession Across Boreal Forest Transitions After Linear Disturbance and Wildfire
Early Succession Across Boreal Forest Transitions After Linear Disturbance and Wildfire Open
Anthropogenic disturbances interact with wildfire, altering successional dynamics across North America’s boreal forest. Linear disturbances, including seismic lines used for oil and gas exploration, dissect forests, while wildfire is a fun…
View article: Assessing the vulnerability and conservation potential of old‐growth forests in British Columbia, Canada
Assessing the vulnerability and conservation potential of old‐growth forests in British Columbia, Canada Open
Climate change is predicted to have widespread effects on the distribution of many species and ecosystems, including old‐growth forests. Because of the slow development time of old‐growth forests, it is especially important for their manag…
View article: Climate buffering effects of western Canadian boreal lakes: the effect of lake size and depth on shoreline and nearshore forests
Climate buffering effects of western Canadian boreal lakes: the effect of lake size and depth on shoreline and nearshore forests Open
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10980-025-02146-5.
View article: Beat the heat: Movements of a cold‐adapted ungulate during a record‐breaking heat wave
Beat the heat: Movements of a cold‐adapted ungulate during a record‐breaking heat wave Open
The frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as heat waves are increasing globally, revealing ecological responses that provide valuable insights toward the conservation of species in a changing climate. In this study, we util…
View article: A data compilation and synthesis of the impacts of seismic surveys on surface soil properties in boreal Alberta, Canada
A data compilation and synthesis of the impacts of seismic surveys on surface soil properties in boreal Alberta, Canada Open
Linear clearings of vegetation to perform geophysical surveys, called seismic lines, are created for oil and gas exploration in boreal Canada and often persist on the landscape for decades after disturbance. Therefore, an assessment of env…
View article: Regional-scale hydrologic settings buffer black spruce regeneration in the presence of post-fire droughts
Regional-scale hydrologic settings buffer black spruce regeneration in the presence of post-fire droughts Open
Increasingly severe wildfires and droughts are reducing black spruce recruitment and favouring early successional species like jack pine and trembling aspen in Canada’s western boreal forests. Adjacent peatlands may mitigate these changes,…
View article: Regeneration lags and growth trajectories influence passive seismic line recovery in western North American boreal forests
Regeneration lags and growth trajectories influence passive seismic line recovery in western North American boreal forests Open
Across the western North American boreal region, networks of narrow clearings called seismic lines from oil and gas exploration fragment forests. Restoration of seismic lines for habitat recovery of threatened woodland caribou has been pri…
View article: Presence of trailers reduces culvert‐style trap success in American black bears ( <i>Ursus americanus</i> )
Presence of trailers reduces culvert‐style trap success in American black bears ( <i>Ursus americanus</i> ) Open
Live capture is an important tool for wildlife research, conservation, and management as it allows for insight into movement, behavior, demographics, diet, and health of wildlife populations. Live capture is also used for conservation tran…
View article: Trade‐Offs Between Forage Availability, Accessibility, and Predation Risk on Winter Foraging Strategies of Wood Bison (<i>Bison bison athabascae</i>)
Trade‐Offs Between Forage Availability, Accessibility, and Predation Risk on Winter Foraging Strategies of Wood Bison (<i>Bison bison athabascae</i>) Open
Optimal foraging theory (OFT) and the energy maximization hypothesis (EMH) have long been essential when examining wildlife habitat selection. At high latitudes and altitudes, animals in winter face greater limitations in availability and …
View article: Climate refugia along Lake Superior’s shores: disjunct arctic–alpine plants rely on cool shoreline temperatures but are restricted to highly exposed habitat under climate warming
Climate refugia along Lake Superior’s shores: disjunct arctic–alpine plants rely on cool shoreline temperatures but are restricted to highly exposed habitat under climate warming Open
Climate refugia can serve as a remnant habitat or stepping stones for species dispersal under climate warming. The largest freshwater lake by surface area, Lake Superior, USA and Canada, serves as a model system for understanding cooling-m…
View article: Spatial priorities for climate-change refugia and connectivity for British Columbia (Version 1.1)
Spatial priorities for climate-change refugia and connectivity for British Columbia (Version 1.1) Open
Climate-informed conservation priorities in British Columbia (Version 1.1) Territorial acknowledgement: We respectfully acknowledge that we live and work across diverse unceded territories and treaty lands and pay our respects to the First…
View article: Silviculture treatments hasten seedling growth on seismic disturbances in boreal treed fens
Silviculture treatments hasten seedling growth on seismic disturbances in boreal treed fens Open
Seismic lines in western Canada's boreal region are linear disturbances that affect the habitat of threatened woodland caribou ( Rangifer tarandus caribou ). To hasten the return of forest cover and ultimately to restore caribou habitat, r…
View article: Lake Superior's summer cooling of shorelines and adjacent inland forests: Implications for refugia of boreal forests and disjunct arctic–alpine plants
Lake Superior's summer cooling of shorelines and adjacent inland forests: Implications for refugia of boreal forests and disjunct arctic–alpine plants Open
Climate refugia can serve as remnant habitat for cold‐adapted species and delay forest transitions. The world's largest freshwater lake by surface area, Lake Superior, serves as a model system for understanding cooling‐mediated refugia eff…
View article: Large lakes moderate climate-change effects in boreal North America
Large lakes moderate climate-change effects in boreal North America Open
The interior biomes of North America are generally projected to experience rapid climatic change, especially with respect to drought indicators like potential evapotranspiration (PET). Focusing on the lake-rich and topographically varied N…
View article: Spatial priorities for climate-change refugia and connectivity for British Columbia (Version 1.0)
Spatial priorities for climate-change refugia and connectivity for British Columbia (Version 1.0) Open
Climate-informed conservation priorities in British Columbia (Version 1.0) Territorial acknowledgement: We respectfully acknowledge that we live and work across diverse unceded territories and treaty lands and pay our respects to the First…
View article: Low-impact line construction retains and speeds recovery of trees on seismic lines in forested peatlands
Low-impact line construction retains and speeds recovery of trees on seismic lines in forested peatlands Open
Seismic lines are linear features created by the oil and gas industry for energy exploration. Though individually narrow, collectively seismic lines are a pervasive management challenge, resulting in changes to biogeochemical cycles, plant…
View article: Peatlands promote fire refugia in boreal forests of northern Alberta, Canada
Peatlands promote fire refugia in boreal forests of northern Alberta, Canada Open
In the boreal forests of North America, large wildfires often leave residual patches of unburned vegetation, termed fire refugia, which can affect post‐fire ecosystem processes. Although topographic complexity is a major driver of fire ref…
View article: Mule deer fawn recruitment dynamics in an energy disturbed landscape
Mule deer fawn recruitment dynamics in an energy disturbed landscape Open
Wildlife population dynamics are modulated by abiotic and biotic factors, typically climate, resource availability, density‐dependent effects, and predator–prey interactions. Understanding whether and how human‐caused disturbances shape th…
View article: Peatlands promote fire refugia in boreal forests of northern Alberta, Canada
Peatlands promote fire refugia in boreal forests of northern Alberta, Canada Open
Fire refugia prediction rasters for both uplands and peatlands in Alberta, as well as the covariate raster stacks and 30k sample points (training and testing) used in making these predictions. These data support the following publication, …
View article: Maximum canopy height is associated with community phylogenetic structure in boreal forests
Maximum canopy height is associated with community phylogenetic structure in boreal forests Open
Understanding how maximum canopy height is related to forest community assembly is essential yet largely unexplored. Maximum canopy height is affected by competition and abiotic environmental factors through different ecological processes …
View article: Mounding treatments set back bryophyte recovery on linear disturbances in treed peatlands
Mounding treatments set back bryophyte recovery on linear disturbances in treed peatlands Open
Treed peatlands are dominated by bryophytes, particularly Sphagnum spp., which create the characteristic hummock‐hollow microtopography. This, in turn, shapes the distribution of bryophyte communities. Disturbances can lead to a loss of th…
View article: Mule deer fawn recruitment dynamics in an energy disturbed landscape
Mule deer fawn recruitment dynamics in an energy disturbed landscape Open
Wildlife population dynamics are modulated by abiotic and biotic factors, typically climate, resource availability, density-dependent effects, and predator-prey interactions. Understanding if human-caused disturbances shape these processes…
View article: Topographic and vegetation drivers of thermal heterogeneity along the boreal–grassland transition zone in western Canada: Implications for climate change refugia
Topographic and vegetation drivers of thermal heterogeneity along the boreal–grassland transition zone in western Canada: Implications for climate change refugia Open
Climate change refugia are areas that are relatively buffered from contemporary climate change and may be important safe havens for wildlife and plants under anthropogenic climate change. Topographic variation is an important driver of the…