Lynsay Spafford, PhD
Research Consulting Services
A Little About Me
Environmental Sciences researcher who grew up in the great outdoors - passionate about forest ecology, computer modelling, and novel instrumentation, with research experience across Canada and Brazil. Muito prazer (pleasure to meet you)!
My Research
Measure & Model
I am interested in leaf life cycles, the forces which influence these cycles, and novel autonomous techniques of leaf monitoring. I am also interested in understanding the implications of changes in the timing of leaf life cycle events, including forest ecosystem ecology and the global carbon cycle. See my research pursuits below.
Leaf Phenology in the Acadian Forest
May 1, 2019 to present
To understand the susceptibility of tree species to global change, I manage a network of remote solar-powered camera stations in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, StFX University, and the University of New Brunswick. From 2020-2021, I had the opportunity to support Parks Canada in establishing stations across Maritime Canada. These stations provide me with daily imagery of the leafing status of evergreen and deciduous tree species, as well as the influence of microclimate variation in temperature and moisture. My pilot study found that with warmer growing seasons, the timing of the fall colours may diverge between red maple and paper birch trees in Nova Scotia. This could change the timing and appearance of the fall colours. Featured on CBC Nova Scotia and CBC News: the National. See more with my EGU21 presentation, AGU 2021 presentation, EGU22 presentation, and EGU23 presentation.
