Bryophytes regeneration in burned peatlands in Northwest Territories
Principal Investigator: Guêné-Nanchen, Mélina (1)
Licence Number: 15827
Organization: Université Laval
Licensed Year(s): 2016
Issued: Jan 20, 2016
Project Team: Line Rochefort

Objective(s): To improve the understanding of the structure of mosses ecosystems.

Project Description: The objective of this project is to evaluate bryophytes regeneration in Northwest Territories burned peatlands to improve the understanding of the structure of mosses ecosystems. This new knowledge should improve the restoration method of disturbed peatlands where the reintroduction and regeneration mosses are problematic. Several sites will be studied in order to have a range of plant communities and fire ages. Measures and vegetation inventories will be made at different scales to assess the role of each plants or plant combinations, as nursing plants helping the regeneration bryophyte carpet. Also, various measures of abiotic conditions (hydrology, physical chemistry of peat) will be taken to assess the contribution of these factors to the moss recovery. This project will provide a better understanding of the vulnerability of Northwest Territories peatlands to fire. Also, this project will study mosses and vascular plants relationships to improve restoration techniques. These ecosystem are widely known for their carbon storage capacity, and then the restoration of burned peatlands will re-establish a plant community able to store carbon. This project will providing tools to improve peatland restoration techniques; and will able be able to conserve economic, social, cultural and educational values of northern peatlands. The results of this study will be communicated to individuals and communities in NWT through presentations, thesis, and scientific papers in different organizations such as Aurora College. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from June 1, 2016 to August 31, 2016.