Blog

Exploring the Relationship Between Land Cover Types and Transpiration in Boreal Forests

Boreal forests are unique ecosystems that play a critical role in global carbon and water cycles. These areas are characterized by a mosaic of different land cover types, including densely treed permafrost plateaus and sparsely treed permafrost-free wetlands. A recent study by Nia Perron and Dr. Jennifer Baltzer from Wilfrid Laurier University, and Dr. Oliver Sonnentag from Université de Montréal highlights the importance of accurately measuring transpiration rates across these various land cover types. The study found significant spatial variations in daily transpiration across the boreal forest landscape, with permafrost plateaus exhibiting the highest levels of daily transpiration compared to permafrost-free wetlands.

Precisely quantifying the relative contribution of tree transpiration to ecosystem evapotranspiration is crucial for predicting changes in water and carbon cycling in boreal forests. These findings provide insights for understanding the mechanisms behind forest evapotranspiration and how it may change under future climate conditions.

Access the full paper at: https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14815

Common Parasites of Food Fish Species in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut: A Guide

We are excited to share with you a comprehensive guide to common parasites of food fish species in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. This guide was prepared by Nelson Zabel and Dr. Heidi Swanson from Wilfrid Laurier University and Dr. Gary Conboy from the Atlantic Veterinary College.

Parasites are a natural part of aquatic ecosystems, and this guide aims to provide valuable information about their prevalence in twenty-five fish species commonly found in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Contrary to popular belief, ecosystems that are rich in parasites are often healthy ones, and understanding the role of parasites in these ecosystems is essential for their proper management and protection.

A Guide to Parasites of Food Fish Species in the Northwest Territories and NunavutDownload

“Boreal forest after fire and permafrost thaw: Investigating recovery and rapid changes”: A video

This video was produced for a NWT’s Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program workshop held in the Dehcho Region in 2022 as part of a research initiative by the Forest Ecology Research Group (FERG; led by Dr. Jennifer Baltzer) and the Northern Ecosystem Resilience & Disturbance Group (NERD, led by Dr. Catherine Dieleman) as well as other collaborators. It presents 5 interconnected research projects aimed at better understanding how caribou habitat is modified by wildfires and permafrost thaw. While watching the video, you will dive deeper into each of the five projects, learning more about their specific research objectives, data acquisition methods and potential research outcomes. This video was produced by Valentin Proult (https://lookaroundyou.ca/).

1. 04:09 – 06:13: Caribou obstacle course – The caribou mobility project; led by Geneviève Degré-Timmons (genevieve.degre-timmons.1@ulaval.ca)

2. 06:16 – 07:53: Fire and Ice – The vegetation recovery project; led by Catherine Dieleman (cdielema@uoguelph.ca)

3. 08:00 – 10:00: Roots and Ice – The project on nutrient release by permafrost, led by Caitlyn Lyons (lyon8610@mylaurier.ca)

4. 10:04 – 11:53: Lichen seeding – The project to accelerate caribou forage recovery, led by Catherine Dieleman (cdielema@uoguelph.ca)

5. 12:03 – 14:04: Eye in the sky – The lichen mapping project, led by Maria Belke Brea (mbelkebrea@wlu.ca)