CRC Maria Strack gets more funding for peatlands research

Congratulations to Water Institute member and Canada Research Chair in Ecosystems and Climate Maria Strack from Geography and Environmental Management who has had her NSERC Tier 2 funding renewed at $100,000 over five years.

Peatlands represent a globally significant stock of soil carbon and exchange greenhouse gases (GHGs) with the atmosphere, including methane. Destabilization of peatland carbon stocks, in response to warming or other human-induced disturbance, contributes to climate change. The research program will improve our understanding of the interactions between peatlands and climate by: 1) evaluating the effect of climate change on peatland GHG fluxes, 2) determining how industrial disturbance affects plant-soil interactions linked to carbon cycling, and 3) developing improved GHG emission factors for managed peatlands. Results will inform improved peatland management, enabling the use of peatlands as natural climate solutions.

Professor Strack will also receive $80,000 through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund in partnership with the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program for the Flexible automated chamber system for quantifying the effect of disturbance and restoration on pleatland GHG exchange.