Université de Montréal
M.Sc. candidate
Supervisor: Stéphanie Pellerin
Marie-Hélène Brice
Start: 2025-05-01
End: 2027-04-30

Project

Impact de l'agrile du frêne sur les communautés végétales des forêts urbaines
The emerald ash borer is an insect native to Asia that causes the death of the vast majority of mature ash trees planted in urban areas or found in forest ecosystems. The death of these trees induces changes in these ecosystems, such as greater light availability for understory plants or a change in soil nutrients. Furthermore, openings created by dying ash trees have the potential to be invaded by invasive exotic plant species, such as common buckthorn. Few studies exist on the impact of this insect on the composition of these plant communities. Therefore, the objective of the research project is to conduct these analyses on urban woodlands in the City of Montreal. The hypothesis to be tested is that stands with higher ash densities exhibit a greater loss of diversity than ecosystems with few ash trees. Inventories of the flora of these woodlands, carried out before and after the arrival of the emerald ash borer, will be used to quantify these changes. Based on this data, statistical models will be tested in combination with methods specific to the fields of ecology and community dynamics. The study will shed light on the effects of disturbances on these forest ecosystems and help understand their mechanisms. On a practical level, the project will provide baseline information for managers working to preserve woodlands and urban biodiversity. It will also help anticipate and predict changes caused by possible future invasions of exotic species such as the emerald ash borer.