During the last Salon des TEQ organized by Réseau environnement and held on 16 and 17 April 2024, Michel Labrecque was honored by receiving the Marcelle-Gauvreau Distinction. An award given to an organization or person working in the field of biodiversity, and who has contributed remarkably, in Quebec, to the improvement and good management of infrastructure in this area. Michel Labrecque earned this honor mainly for having been responsible for a vast phytoremediation project for industrial wastelands in the east of Montreal between 2016 and 2024, at the same time making it possible to create islands of freshness and promoting biodiversity under all its forms.

In the center Michel Labrecque with Mathieu Landreville (right) and Geneviève Pigeon (left) respectively General Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Réseau Environnement.

Historical and future trajectories (1940-2120) of forests under the influence of fires, logging
and climate change in eastern Canada.

This Ph.D. is part of the TRAJECTOIRE project which aims to understand the ecological changes in the forests of eastern Canada from the beginning of the 20th century to today, in order to predict the expected changes during the 21st century. This large-scale project is led by the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), and brings together numerous university, government and industrial partners across eastern Canada (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia).

For more information, see this PDF document.

(Photo Geneviève Poirier SOPFEU via La Presse canadienne)

Alain Cuerrier is now part of the advisory committee of the important American Botanical Council, which publishes HerbalGram, a periodical which details the progress of research on natural health products. Several thousand people spread across more than 80 countries are members of the ABC.

An internship in urban ecology, in the biological sciences department in partnership with Québec Vert, is currently available: creation of a directory of plants recommended for biodiversity in urban areas. The internship will last from May to October 2024.

All the information is in this PDF document.

The entomology laboratory headed by professor Jacques Brodeur is looking for 2 research assistants for the 2024 summer season.

Both job involve participating in the collection of field and laboratory data in the context of a study on the Japanese beetle and its parasitoid Istocheta aldrichi.

For all info, see the following PDF documents job 1 and job 2.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Eugénie Émond

L’agriculture urbaine produit-elle moins de carbone que les fermes conventionnelles? includes an interview with Joan Laur. Listen (in French) on Ohdio.

Des preuves de la photosynthèse, il y a 1,75 milliard d’années includes an interview with David Morse. Read (in French) on Ici Radio-Canada.

Also, Alain Cuerrier (photo) explains photosynthesis on an episode of Luka et Léo on Télé-Québec. View here (in French).

An article titled Bioretention plants not impaired by road salt was just published by UdeM Nouvelles. This article highlights Henry Beral results recently published in the scientific journal Blue-Green Systems, when he was a doctoral student under the supervision of professor Jacques Brisson from the IRBV, and co-supervised by professors Danielle Dagenais and Margit Kõiv-Vainik.

Stéphanie Pellerin and Marie-Hélène Brice, along with 5 colleagues from Laval University, obtained a major Society grant from the NSERC Alliance program for the project Zéro perte nette de milieux humides: en route vers des approches de restauration éclairées(Zero net loss of wetlands: on the road to informed restoration approaches). It aims to better coordinate the efforts of scientists, managers and community stakeholders to implement concerted actions to restore wetlands. The project headed by Monique Poulin (U. Laval) totals $9.8M.

Congratulations to the whole team!

Further reading: ULaval Nouvelles news article.

The functional plant ecology laboratory led by Professor Etienne Laliberté is looking for 4 research assistants for the winter 2024 session. The work will take place as part of research projects using drones and microdrones to map plant species. The people hired will assist laboratory members in the analysis of imagery acquired in 2023 at different study sites. The tasks mainly consist of:

• Carrying out annotations of plant species on orthomosaics produced following field work
• Verifying results and updating data in a geographic information system (GIS)
• Other similar tasks related to the project (e.g. photogrammetry, data management)

For all the information, see this PDF document (3 positions) and this PDF document (1 position).

LE CARIBOU N’A PLUS LE MÊME GOÛT
Les aînés Inuit observent les changements climatiques

New French edition of “The Caribou Taste Different Now” edited by José Gérin-Lajoie, Alain Cuerrier, Laura Siegwart Collier and Esther Lévesque

Climate change affects the entire world, but is up to four times more intense in the Arctic. What will be the consequences of thawing permafrost, changing migration patterns and the arrival of new species on northern environments and on the way of life of those who live there?

In this book, local elders and experts from eight communities in the Canadian Arctic share their observations on changes affecting their traditional activities, climate, animals and vegetation with a particular emphasis on berries. The central theme at the origin of this project, the ecology of small fruits, also encouraged the meeting of women who traditionally harvest plants and small fruits; They also represent more than half of the people interviewed for this book, which is aimed primarily at Nunavimmiut (residents of Nunavik) and anyone curious to learn more about the changes underway in the North.

Accompanied by summaries of observed changes, figures and comparative tables, this edition in French and Inuktitut (Nunavik) is richly illustrated and provides valuable and unique insight into the scientific literature on climate change.

Two research assistant positions in ecology are offered for summer 2024:

Evaluation of the success of Miyawaki microforests in the Montreal region.

a) Identify and locate trees in 20 microforests
b) Measure the height and DBH of all trees and assess their health
c) Inventory of spontaneous vegetation
d) Environmental characterization: soil chemistry, humidity, temperature, etc.

Impact of urbanization and the emerald ash borer on Montreal’s woodlands.

a) Inventory of undergrowth biodiversity, identification and measurements of trees
b) Assessment of tree health
c) Environmental characterization: soil chemistry, humidity, temperature, etc.

For all the information, see this PDF document.

Freshwater estuaries are ecosystems characterized by high tides (>2m) hosting flora threatened by climate change and urban sprawl. The laboratory of systematics, phylogeny, biogeography and floristics directed by Étienne Léveillé-Bourret is beginning two studies on rare plant species in the freshwater estuary of the St. Lawrence, financed by the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP).

1. Taxonomy of the rare Victorin’s waterhemlock (Cicuta maculata var. victorinii) This variety endemic to Quebec is designated as threatened at the provincial and federal level. However, morphological intermediates with the more common variety (var. maculata) create uncertainty regarding its taxonomic validity. Clarifying its status is imperative to be able to justify the conservation efforts currently underway. The study will combine field work, experiments in a common garden, herbarium and laboratory studies, to clarify the taxonomic status and characterize the genetic diversity of Victorin’s waterhemlock.
2. Taxonomy of the rare Provancher fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus var. provancheri) This variety is endemic to northeastern North America, with a distribution centered on the St. Lawrence estuary. The limit between this taxon and the more common variety (var. philadelphicus) is controversial, and there is debate on the real identity of the populations outside Quebec. Work in the field, in the common garden, in the herbarium and in the laboratory will help clarify its taxonomy and determine whether populations in Ontario and the United States are sufficiently genetically isolated to justify specific conservation measures.

For information, see this document.

Based on his more than 30 years of experience in agroforestry research, Alain Cogliastro recently published the Guide d’aménagement de systèmes agroforestiers. With his two co-authors, André Vézina and David Rivest, Alain presents a synthesis of the most up-to-date knowledge on the foundations of agroforestry and its multiple ecosystem services, in addition to describing the main ecological characteristics of around a hundred species of trees and shrubs to facilitate the choice according to local conditions and the desired objectives. This guide will allow users to promote the harmonious and efficient integration of trees in fields and pastures or around them in order to obtain the expected benefits.

Alain Cuerrier talks ethnobotany, colonialism and science with Juliette Ruf for Sirup FM, listen here.

Alain explains why he pays so much attention to indigenous traditional knowledge in his research, on Kuei! Kwe! Listen on Ohdio.

During the Célébrez les Arts et Sciences event held on 21 November 2023, the Faculté des arts et science of the Université de Montréal awarded several scholarships to highlight the excellence of its students. Several IRBV students distinguished themselves:

Marion Leménager – Marie-Victorin Excellence Award

Scholarship awarded to an IRBV doctoral student in recognition of the excellence of their research work. This scholarship is awarded by the Marie-Victorin Fund, named in tribute to the founder of the Institut Botanique (now IRBV). See our recent news to this effect.

Constance Le Gloanec – Marcelle-Gauvreau Excellence Award

Scholarship awarded annually to an IRBV graduate student. This prize aims to reward civic engagement, involvement in the transfer of knowledge to the community, as well as the quality of research. See our recent news to this effect.

Catherine Hébert – Georges-Baril Grant

Scholarship awarded annually to a graduate student in science, in recognition of academic excellence and to encourage the pursuit of studies. Initiated in 1956 by Professor Roger Barré and a professorial committee, the Georges-Baril Fund was enriched in 2012 thanks to the generosity of Lucile Baril Paradis, the daughter of Georges Baril. Her contribution made it possible to increase the value of the existing prize for the first cycle and to create a recruitment scholarship for the second cycle.

Jessica Fraser – Biological Sciences Scholarship Fund Scholarships

Scholarships awarded to encourage graduate students. These awards aim to support those who stand out through their academic record and research achievements.

Congratulations to the scholarship recipients. We are proud to welcome you to the family of dedicated researchers who are shaping the future of plant biology and biodiversity science.

On 23 November, the PHYTOVALIX project, co-directed by Michel Labrecque, Frédéric Pitre of the IRBV and Yves Comeau of Polytechnique Montréal, was the winner of the prize Regroupements sectoriels de recherche industrielle, at the 33^rd Innovation Awards Gala of the Association for the Development of Research and Innovation of Quebec which brought together more than 575 participants. PHYTOVALIX has made it possible to develop technology for the treatment of landfill leachate using willow plantations. It was the CRIBIQ which chose this project to be submitted for this prize category.

From left to right in the photo: Jean Philippe Chenel and Daniela Bernic from CRIBIQ, Michel Labrecque (IRBV) Yves Comeau (Polytechnique), Ghislain Lacombe from Waste Management and Xavier Lachapelle-T from Ramo.

Marion Leménager, doctoral student under the direction of Simon Joly, researcher at the Botanical Garden and the IRBV, as well as associate professor at the Université de Montréal, is the recipient of the 2023 Marie-Victorin Excellence Award.

Marion is leading a research project aimed at better understanding the evolution of flower types in relation to their pollinators. She explores the diversity of specialist and generalist flowers within the Gesneriaceae family, examining their family tree to discern patterns of diversification. Marion notably innovated by developing a photogrammetric approach to obtain 3D images of flowers, which could contribute to the creation of a virtual three-dimensional herbarium. Her work has already been adopted by several researchers.

In addition to her current project, Marion has accumulated scholarships, distinctions and prizes, published two scientific articles, and actively participated in conferences and social initiatives, demonstrating exceptional scientific maturity and remarkable creativity.

Congratulations Mathilde!

Constance Le Gloanec, doctoral student under the joint supervision of Daniel Kierzkowski and Anne-Lise Routier, both researchers at the IRBV and professors at the Université de Montréal, is the recipient of the 2023 Marcelle-Gauvreau Excellence Award.

Constance stands out for her dynamism, both in the scientific field and in her social commitments. She has distinguished herself through her exceptional achievements as a researcher, her mentoring, her participation in various committees and through her volunteer engagement within learned societies and the community. She was also in the finals of the My thesis in 180 seconds competition at the University of Montreal and she created workshops for high school students. Her commitment to academic excellence, combined with his dedication, captivated the attention of the scholarship committee.

Congratulations Mathilde!