Tasha-Leigh Gauthier

Tasha-Leigh Gauthier
Name: Tasha-Leigh Gauthier

Twitter: @TLGauthier

Past Experience: BES Geography, Waterloo with Earth Systems Science specialization and a Parks Option; MSc Geography, Waterloo testing to see if compression could increase carbon sequestration in restored peatlands.

Current Project: PhD Geography, Waterloo. Functional traits of restored peatland mosses

Project description: 

Peatland restoration in Canada typically follows the Moss-Layer-Transfer Technique (MLTT) developed by Quinty & Rochefort, 2003. The goal of this technique to return the self-regulatory mechanisms that will lead back to a naturally functioning, peat accumulating ecosystem (Quinty & Rochefort, 2003); however, peatland managers lack easy to measure indicators to evaluate restoration success. González & Rochefort (in review) classified three vegetation outcomes based on 274 permanent plots established in 66 restored peatlands from Alberta to New Brunswick: Sphagnum-Eriophorum, Sphagnum-Polytrichum, and low cover-diverse peatland plants. By comparing these restoration outcomes to reference ecosystems, 70% of these restored peatlands would be considered successfully restored (González & Rochefort, in review). Despite having a similar species composition to reference ecosystems, the newly formed Sphagnum layer may not have the same physical structure as naturally occurring Sphagnum, and may have a distinctly different hydrological regime (McCarter & Price, 2015). This may affect the resilience of the moss to drying and increase desiccation (McCarter & Price, 2015). As such, it is necessary to also include hydrological indicators when determining restoration success.

Therefore the objectives of this study are to:

  1. Characterize the hydrophysical properties of the vegetation outcomes classified by González & Rochefort (in review).
  2. Determine how the hydrophysical properties of these vegetation outcomes compare to natural peatlands
  3. Develop hydrological success criteria for restored peatlands

Misc.: In my spare time I enjoy rock climbing, hiking, fishing, and hanging out with my cat Winnie.