Université Laval
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Danielle Dagenais
Daniel Fortin
Start: 2017-09-01
End: 2021-09-01
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Project

Studying the variations in species assemblages (birds, beetles and plants) following climate change in the Northern part of Canada
To be able to select appropriate targets for conservation programs, there is a need to anticipate future change. We aim to identify species assemblages and indicator species along a latitudinal and time gradient in the boreal forest of eastern Canada. Using birds’ functional traits and forest attributes (biomass, productivity, species) we want to have a better understanding on what change species assemblages and what will be their future distribution. Stability and resilience of species assemblages under anthropogenic and natural disturbances will be determined. The consequences of the loss of a specific species will as well be assessed under several climate change scenarios. Classical statistician models and artificial intelligence (neural networks) models will be used using the Breeding Bird Atlas dataset of Quebec and Ontario as well as existent birds, beetles and plants dataset. Thus, this interdisciplinary project will permit to shed light on how community change and what will be their future distribution in a context of climate change.

Keywords

Assemblages d'espèces, Changements climatiques/Climate changes, Biodiversité/Biodiversity, Ornithologie/Ornithology, Botanique/Botany, Entomologie forestière/Forest entomology