Quantifying the Effect of Stressors on Carbon Dioxide Uptake by Vegetation Communities in the Bruce Peninsula

Climate change poses a potential threat to the CO2 uptake of terrestrial ecosystems, with uncertain implications for vegetation on the Bruce Peninsula. This UNESCO global biosphere reserve boasts some of the oldest Eastern white cedar trees (Thuja occidentalis). In this study, I investigate the response of Bruce Peninsula vegetation to climate change and vegetation cover variations over the past two decades, focusing on the sequestration capacity of different vegetation types. Utilizing Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) data from the Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Global Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) Sunlight Induced Fluorescence (GOSIF) datasets, I identify nine study sites based on land cover type. By examining trends in climate and vegetation growth and assessing the impact of environmental stresses, I aim to estimate the CO2 sequestration potential of these sites. Seasonal comparisons of GPP data with the area's ERA-5 climate data reveal no significant GPP trend. Notably, MODIS GPP exhibits a more pronounced response to environmental stressors, especially during the spring, compared to GOSIF GPP. Coniferous forests in the Bruce Peninsula emerge as the most effective in absorbing CO2.