Projects - search

Project leads
Greg McDermid, University of Calgary
Erin Bayne, UAlberta
Scott Nielsen, UAlberta
Scott Ketcheson, Athabasca University
Maria Strack, UWaterloo
Julia Linke, University of Calgary

Timeline
07/15/2020 - 07/14/2025

Study area
Lower Athabasca, Alberta, Canada

Main objectives
To understand effects of human disturbance on boreal ecosystems, develop strategies for restoration and develop tools to support decision-making on management in the boreal region.

For more information:
Visit: http://beraproject.org

Project leads
Dr. Maria Strack, University of Waterloo

Timeline
06/01/2020 - 05/31/2025

Study area
Ontario, Quebec, Alberta

Main objectives
Assess the recovery of methane cycling in peatlands following wildfire
Determine methane emissions and its drivers in swamps
Describe methane cycling microbial communities in restored Canadian peatlands

For more information:
Contact: mstrack@uwaterloo.ca

Project leads
Fereidoun Rezanezhad (University of Waterloo)
Philippe Van Cappellen (University of Waterloo)
Jonathan Price (University of Waterloo)
William L. Quinton (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Nathan Basiliko (Lakehead University)
Pascale Roy-Leveillee (Université Laval)
Christina Smeaton (Memorial University of Newfoundland)
Kara Webster (Canadian Forest Service Great Lakes Forestry Centre (CFS-GLFC) - Natural Resources Canada)
Nancy Goucher (University of Waterloo)

Timeline
03/01/2019 - 02/28/202

Study area
Canada

Main objectives
The goal of this project is to advance the fundamental, process-based understanding of the function of soil biogeochemical processes in cold region environments during the fall-winter and winter-spring transitions and during the non-growing season (NGS) by creating the foundation for the predictive modelling of winter carbon losses in cold region wetland ecosystems under current and future climates. This research project mainly focuses on 1) determining the hydrological and climatic factors driving microbial NGS carbon cycling and 2) integrating the information and data gained into models describing the underlying processes controlling NGS emissions for incorporation into the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector (CBM-CFS).

For more information:
Contact: frezanez@uwaterloo.ca

Project leads
Kayla Martin, University of Waterloo
Dr. Maria Strack, University of Waterloo

Timeline
09/01/2022 - 06/30/2023

Study area
Canada

Main objectives
Improve the estimates of greenhouse gas emission factors for restored peatlands, incorporating multiple sites with varying hydrological, meteorological conditions and specific restoration techniques.
Allow for investigation of physical and biological variables that best predict greenhouse gas exchange and can be used as proxies for greenhouse gas fluxes.

For more information:
Contact: kj5martin@uwaterloo.ca

Project leads
Megan Schmidt, University of Waterloo
Dr. Maria Strack, University of Waterloo

Start date
09/01/2022

Study area
Southern Ontario, Canada

Main objectives
Assessing C cycling and stores in swamps across Southern Ontario.
Looking at soil CH4 and CO2 flux, tree stem flux, biomass, productivity, decomposition.

For more information:
Contact: meg.schmidt@uwaterloo.ca

Project leads
Dr. Maria Strack, University of Waterloo
Dr. Nicole Balliston, University of Waterloo

Timeline
08/01/2023 - 05/01/2026

Study area
Mushkegowuk Traditional Territory in the Hudson Bay Lowland, Ontario, Canada

Main objectives
Assessing seasonal and interannual hydrological fluxes within HBL peatlands
Estimating water bound lateral carbon fluxes within HBL peatlands

For more information:
Contact: nballist@uwaterloo.ca

Project leads
Jade Skye, MSc Student, University of Victoria
Joe Melton, Supervisor, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Timeline
09/06/2022 - 08/18/2024

Study area
Global

Main objective
The goal of this project is to estimate global peatland carbon stocks using peatland depth and carbon density products predicted using Machine Learning. A secondary objective is to aid efforts to better represent peatlands in Earth System Models by providing more accurate initial conditions

For more information:
Contact: jskye@uvic.ca

Project leads
Maryam Bayatvarkeshi, University of Waterloo
Dr. Maria Strack, University of Waterloo
Dr. Scott Ketcheson, Athabasca University

Timeline
09/01/2021 - 08/31/202

Study areas
Kirby site in Conklin, AB
Maqua site in Fort McMurray, AB

Main objectives
1. Measuring actual evapotranspiration in seismic lines and adjacent forests
2. Collecting weather variables in seismic lines and adjacent forests
3. Calculating water balance in seismic lines and adjacent forests
4. Modeling water balance on local and large scale

Project leads
Oluwabamsie L. Afolabi, University of Waterloo
Hongxing He, McGill University
Maria Strack, University of Waterloo

Start date
01/04/2021

Study area
Beverly Swamp in Southern Ontario, Canada

Main objective
To assess the potential impacts of climate change on temperate swamp carbon cycling in Southern Ontario, Canada

Project lead
Karen Richardson, Parks Canada

Start date
07/01/2022

Study area
Hudson Bay Lowlands

Main objective
Assess biodiversity, above and below-ground carbon, and Indigenous knowledge to support conservation and climate change mitigation decision-making in the Hudson Bay-James Bay Lowlands.

For more information:
Visit: https://parks.canada.ca/
or contact: karen.richardson@pc.gc.ca

Project lead
Sarah Howie, City of Delta

Start date
08/24/2001

Study area
Burns Bog in Delta, British Columbia

Main objective
The objective is to restore the water table in the bog to re-start self-sustaining hydrological functions and processes.

For more information:
Visit: https://www.burnsbog.ca/
or contact: showie@delta.ca

In this activity, we will compile C stock and GHG data from the experimental sites for peatland restoration and reclamation across Canada.

Using data compiled in the Can-Peat database and collaboration with the Can-Peat network, this activity will improve: 1) representation of NPP and its controls, 2) calibration of the CH4 flux module, and development and validation of disturbance matrices.

 In this activity, we will monitor the greenhouse gas exchange of recently burned peatlands on the Taiga Plains using eddy covariance techniques.

This activity will develop practical guidelines on how to account for the market and non-market values of the various peatland ecosystem services across Canada for use in CBA to support peatland conservation and restoration policy and decision-making.

In this activity, we need will further develop the McGill Wetland Model (MWM) to better assess the potential and responses of peatlands to climate change, human disturbances and restoration.

This activity aims to develop a comprehensive spatial database summarizing anthropogenic disturbances on peatlands in Canada useful for refining our understanding of peatlands’ carbon sink-source strength from a climate regulation perspective.

This work will help refine future predictive modeling of carbon stocks the mapping of peatland carbon stocks at the national scale, and the vulnerability of this distribution of stocks to a suite of disturbances.

In this activity, we aim for comprehensive catchment-scale data analyses, together with a thorough understanding of the factors controlling carbon losses from the peatland ecosystems, to help the development and calibration of process-based models that link sources, transport pathways, fate, and cycling of carbon and nutrients in peatlands.

The main goals of this activity are to 1) further develop a process-based model’s ability to simulate peatland carbon stocks and GHG (CO2, CH4, and N2O) exchanges with the atmosphere, 2) develop a process-based model of peatland fire and recovery to investigate the impacts of fire and fire management actions on site-level and regional peatland carbon budgets and GHG emissions, and 3) produce Canada-wide simulations of Canadian peatland C stocks and GHG fluxes under various climate and management scenarios.