Hubs of Expertise

Human activities are increasingly influencing wildlife and natural environments. In this context, defining and describing biological interactions as a central aspect of the study of biodiversity becomes a priority. Within each species, these interactions participate in the social organization of individuals and influence many facets of their life such as their growth, reproduction and survival. They also play a fundamental role in the structure and functioning of communities, whether through predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism or symbiosis. At the center of the processes driving the observed changes in individuals, populations and communities, biological interactions have led to the structure of biodiversity as we know it today. Rapid environmental changes (REC) can disrupt biological interactions at the three levels mentioned above, with serious demographic, ecological and evolutionary consequences (eg extinction, invasion, increase, evolution), in turn affecting the structure of biodiversity. These consequences often result in changes in the mean and in the variation of traits within individuals (plasticity), populations (contemporary evolution) or communities (functional homogenization). These changes affect biological interactions and the structure of biodiversity. However, biodiversity assessments rarely manage to detect reduction in intraspecific variation. It is therefore essential to study intraspecific variation as an essential component of biodiversity; a main issue of axis 2 of QCBS 2.0 and GEOBON. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OUR CAPABILITIES TO PREDICT THE CHALLENGES THAT BIODIVERSITY WILL FACE AND TO PRESERVE IT, WE NEED TO DEVELOP STATISTICAL TOOLS THAT ALLOW US TO STUDY THE LINKS BETWEEN RECS, BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS AND PROCESSES THAT AFFECT TRAITS. Our center of expertise brings together researchers who are interested in biological interactions at different levels and who have complementary expertise ranging from genomics, community ecology, through quantitative genetics, the study of selection, network analyses, biodemographic models or phylogenetic analyses.

- Extraction and purification of DNA or RNA from diverse biological samples (plants, fungi, bacteria, viruses, etc.). - Analyzes of carbon and nitrogen content on solid samples (soils, leaves, roots, etc.). - Analyzes of carbon content (organic and/or inorganic) on liquid samples. - Bench space in the molecular and biochemical laboratories with access to high performance research equipment.

The CSBQ pole of expertise in sharing and management of biodiversity data was established to offer CSBQ students and researchers a set of training workshops, standardized and customized protocols, as well as services to facilitate data publication. The proposed services include: 1) Workshops and training for students and researchers 2) Individual consultations (or for specialized groups) 3) Provide documentation and tutorials about structure, cleaning, standardization and publication of biodiversity data 4) Development of documents and forms for collection of data and metadata

The QCBS 2.0 focuses on establishing a Québec Biodiversity Observation Network and developing the science around it. Given the sheer size of Québec, and the speed at which changes in biodiversity are taking place, it is clear that remote sensing is required and that field observations will not be sufficient. The overall goal of this Hub of Expertise to share the team’s remote sensing expertise broadly across the QCBS, by offering data acquisition and processing services (e.g., drone imagery) and by providing specific training to HQP and researchers. The specific objectives of this Hub of Expertise are to: 1. offer drone data acquisition and processing services to members. 2. provide consulting services and access to tools to members for efficient field data acquisition workflows that require the integration of in-situ observations and remote sensing data (e.g. species annotations of high-resolution RGB imagery for training or validating deep learning models). 3. provide training about acquiring, accessing, processing and/or using remote sensing data for biodiversity research.

The expertise of the ArcticWATTS team and its collaborators are diverse and involve several Quebec, Canadian, and international institutions (see table). However, the key areas that bring the team members together in the context of the FRQNT project are energetics and thermoregulation. With the help of Dr. Le Pogam, we will first focus on our expertise in this field to offer technical workshops that will allow CSBQ researchers and students to develop their skills in these areas. In the longer term, we will be able to expand and diversify our offerings and also coordinate other workshops offered by our external collaborators during their visits to Quebec. Currently, there is no structured training in energetics in Quebec. For example, to take a course in respirometry, one must go to Las Vegas and spend several thousand dollars. We have already trained students, technicians, and postdocs in several techniques, and we have the expertise to develop workshops tailored to their needs. As the equipment is already in place at UQAR and relatively inexpensive to operate, we anticipate that the costs will be relatively low, which should maximize accessibility. The costs will, therefore, be evaluated in advance with the participants according to their needs. Subject to any changes, the main costs for students should be related to travel and accommodation and could potentially be covered by the CSBQ Learning and Development Awards.