Université du Québec en Outaouais
M.Sc. candidate
Supervisor: Angélique Dupuch
Start: 2025-09-01
End: 2027-08-01

Project

Old-growth forests as a suitable habitat for maintaining cavity-nesting species in a managed forest landscape
Old-growth forests are little-disturbed stands, rich in large-diameter old trees and dead wood. In the southern part of the province, they are often isolated within a mosaic of managed forests, and many remain uncharacterized. These stands are of particular interest for the study of deadwood-dependent species, particularly when considering structural differences with adjacent managed forests. A better understanding of how cavity-nesting species use habitat is needed to make appropriate suggestions in forestry, including the selection and conservation of trees important to wildlife. The study of nest web provides information on habitat use by cavity-nesting fauna. This subject remains understudied in Quebec's temperate forests. This approach, which places species in a hierarchical order around cavity resources, illustrates the links between fauna and the trees that support the cavities used for nesting or sheltering. The role played by ancient forests in this forest dynamic will be explored through the installation of wildlife cameras, the inspection of cavities over a full season and forest surveys.