Université du Québec à Montréal
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Jérôme Dupras
Christian Messier, UQAM
Start: 2016-09-05
End: 2025-08-15

Project

The effects of local governance and systemic shocks on disturbance patterns in Neotropical moist forests
My main research interests focus on forest governance and management in relation to global change. Neotropical forests, in particular, play a crucial role in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. Large portions of these forests are located on Indigenous territories and contribute to the livelihoods of many local communities. My doctoral research assesses the effects of various socio-ecological factors on the fate of Neotropical forests. This includes developing methods for causal inference across geographic areas. More specifically, I am working on (1) developing a spatially explicit approach to assess the outcomes of environmental management and governance; (2) quantifying the effect of Indigenous governance on forest loss in the Neotropics; and (3) analyzing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on forest disturbances in the Amazon.

Keywords

complex systems, Causal inference, Neotropical moist forests, Indigenous governance, COVID-19

Publications

1- Strong mismatch in climate change adaptation between intentions of private forest owners in Canada and institutional support
Fouqueray, Timothée, Daniel Schoenig, Rita Sousa-Silva, Jérôme Dupras, Christian Messier
2026 Communications Earth & Environment

2- Resolving the effects of functional traits on tree growth rates: The influence of temporal dynamics and divergent strategies by leaf habit
Déziel, Mégane, Daniel Schoenig, Rita Sousa‐Silva, Eric B. Searle, William C. Parker, Jeannine Cavender‐Bares, Simone Mereu, Michael Scherer‐Lorenzen, Charles A. Nock, Christian Messier, Peter Reich, Artur Stefanski, Ning Dong, Peter Hajek, Dominique Gravel, Alain Paquette
2025 Journal of Ecology

3- Urban vegetation and well‐being: A cross‐sectional study in Montreal, Canada
Sousa‐Silva, Rita, Yan Kestens, Zoé Poirier Stephens, Benoit Thierry, Daniel Schoenig, Daniel Fuller, Meghan Winters, Audrey Smargiassi
2025 People and Nature