Alberta’s Natural Subregions Under a Changing Climate: Past, Present and Future

The Natural Regions and Subregions classification represents the state-of-the-art in ecological land classification in Alberta. This classification provides a valuable baseline for resource management and conservation planning in the province. It is becoming increasingly apparent, however, that current landscape patterns are destined to change in coming decades as a consequence of global warming. In this report I place the Natural Regions and Subregions into a dynamic framework, describing how they have responded to climate change in the past and how they are expected to change over the next hundred years. Understanding how Natural Regions and Subregions will change over time will improve conservation planning and facilitate adaptation efforts.