OVERVIEW
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The Landscape 2 team is dedicated to advancing ecosystem service research and applying this knowledge to restoration and conservation efforts across Quebec. We study various ecosystems, from urban greenspaces to agricultural lands, as well as pristine wetlands and the boreal forests, to understand the valuable ecosystem services they provide.
One of our key findings is that natural meadows support more pollinators than lawns in various landscapes, including urban, industrial, and agricultural areas. In wetlands, we discovered that bogs and fens are more carbon dense than swamps. However the majority of the total carbon stock is found in forested peatlands and swamps, which are more abundant in the region we studied. We also found that forb, herbaceous plants that are not grasses, and particularly those with deep roots, improve water infiltration and carbon storage in vacant lots. Another study revealed that younger people and those who travel for nature-related activities find natural areas more beautiful than city parks. We also found that people who see themselves as environmental defenders are more open to appreciate the spontaneous vegetation of vacant lots. |
Jessica Champagne-Caron, Audrey Lavoie and Bérenger Bourgeois thinking identifying plants in vacant lots of Quebec City. Photo by Poliana Mendes
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In our conservation planning research, we showed that to avoid increasing inequality when planning where to protect, it is important to consider the vulnerability of those who benefit from ecosystem services. We also created a framework to enhance crop pollination in agricultural areas by focusing on land available for restoration, such as degraded fields.
To bridge the gap between academic research and practical conservation work, we interviewed 15 environmental practitioners, held two workshops and created a guidebook to share insights and strategies for conservation and restoration planning within Quebec. These efforts aim to encapsulates the core directions of our collective research efforts, and to boost the integration ecosystem services into practical conservation planning in Quebec.
Looking ahead, we have several exciting projects nearing completion. These include studying the balance between boreal caribou populations and timber extraction, exploring the trade-offs between biodiversity and ecosystem services, and investigating the relationship between providers and beneficiaries of ecosystem services. The main objective of Landscape 2 projects is to understand how to manage these trade-offs in practical conservation and restoration actions.
To bridge the gap between academic research and practical conservation work, we interviewed 15 environmental practitioners, held two workshops and created a guidebook to share insights and strategies for conservation and restoration planning within Quebec. These efforts aim to encapsulates the core directions of our collective research efforts, and to boost the integration ecosystem services into practical conservation planning in Quebec.
Looking ahead, we have several exciting projects nearing completion. These include studying the balance between boreal caribou populations and timber extraction, exploring the trade-offs between biodiversity and ecosystem services, and investigating the relationship between providers and beneficiaries of ecosystem services. The main objective of Landscape 2 projects is to understand how to manage these trade-offs in practical conservation and restoration actions.
LANDSCAPE 2 TEAM
Monique Poulin
she/her
she/her
LEAD
Université Laval
Poliana Mendes she/her POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER Université Laval |
Pierre-Alexandre Labranche he/him MASTER"s STUDENT Université Laval |
Gabriela Torchio she/her Phd student Université Laval |
Jonathan Pierre he/him PHD CANDIDATE Université Laval |
Audréanne Loiselle she/her pOSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER Université Laval |
Jérôme Cimon-Morin he/him co-applicant Université Laval |
Stéphanie Pellerin she/her Co-APPLICANT Université de Montréal |
Jérôme Dupras he/him Co-APPLICANT Université du Québec |
Julie Deslandes she/her COLLABORATOR Ville de Québec |
Patricia Beauregard-Desjardins Partner Institut de la statistique du Québec |
Sarah Roy-Millard she/her PARTNER Institut de la statistique du Québec |
Jean-Francois Guay COLLABORATOR Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec |
Geneviève Poirier-Ghys she/her ALUMNA |
Sabrina Cloutier she/her ALUMNA |
Jean-Olivier Goyette ALUM |
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs |
Association des producteurs de tourbe horticole du Québec LIAISON, Stéphanie Boudreau |
Institut de la statistique Québec |
FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
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A systematic conservation planning approach to maintaining ecosystem service provision in working landscapes.
Cimon-Morin, J., Goyette, J. O., Mendes, P., Pellerin, S., & Poulin, M. (2021)
Planning where to protect nature is a tough job. In this study researchers looked into a method called systematic conservation planning. They adapted this method to ensure that ecosystems in working landscapes can sustainably provide benefits to people.
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Above and below ground carbon stocks among organic and wetland types, accounting for peat bathymetry
Goyette, J.O.; Loiselle, A.; Mendes, P.; Cimon-Morin, J.; Pellerin, S.; Poulin, M.; Dupras, J. (2024).
Do you know what peat is? Peat is a carbon-rich substance composed of decayed plants that accumulate under certain wetlands over thousands of years! Wetlands that store a lot of carbon in their soil are allies for mitigating climate change impacts. But some wetland types are better at storing carbon than others. In this study we found that bogs and fens are more carbon dense than swamps and forested peatlands, because they have deeper deposits. However, since swamps and forested peatlands are more abundant regionally, they are very important for the total C stock. So all wetland types play a part in climate change mitigation.
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Using the ecosystem service shed concept in conservation planning for more equitable outcomes
Goyette, J. O., Mendes, P., Cimon-Morin, J., Dupras, J., Pellerin, S., Rousseau, A. N., & Poulin, M. (2024).
Ecosystem services are the benefits humans receive from natural ecosystems. When planning where to protect ecosystem services, should we 1) focus on benefiting the highest number of people, or 2) focus on making sure the most vulnerable populations receive those benefits? We compared these two ways of selecting areas for conservation in this study.
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Using the ecosystem service shed concept in conservation planning for more equitable outcomes The aesthetic value of natural vegetation reminants, city parks and vacant lots. The role of ecosystem features and observer characteristics.
Mendes, P., Goyette, J.-O., Cottet, M., Cimon-Morin, J., Pellerin, S., & Poulin, M. (2024)
In this study, researchers asked 514 respondents to rate the beauty of various ecosystems in Quebec, such as peatlands, marshes, forests, city parks, and vacant lots. The ecosystem depicted in the image, from the Base de Plein Air de Sainte-Foy, received the highest score among all the images. Clearly, forests have their own fan club! Do you also find forests beautiful? Image by Poliana Mendes
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Linkages between plant functional diversity and soil-based ecosystem services in urban and peri-urban vacant lots.
Mendes, P.; Bourgeois, B.; Pellerin, S.; Ziter, C.; Cimon-Morin, J.; Poulin, M. (2024).
In this study, researchers asked 514 respondents to rate the beauty of various ecosystems in Quebec, such as peatlands, marshes, forests, city parks, and vacant lots. The ecosystem depicted in the image, from the Base de Plein Air de Sainte-Foy, received the highest score among all the images. Clearly, forests have their own fan club! Do you also find forests beautiful? Image by Poliana Mendes
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Assessing the contribution of lawns and semi-natural meadows to insect pollinator abundance and diversity across different landscapes.
Cloutier, S.; Mendes, P. ; Cimon-Morin, J.; Pellerin, S.; Fournier, V. ; Poulin, M. (2024
Bees are among the most important pollinators on Earth. This is a close-up of the face of a bumble-bee captured by researchers from the University Laval in Quebec City. Our study found that many bee species, including bumblebees, prefer natural meadows over lawns. We also found that bees are less abundant in agricultural compared to residential and industrial landscapes. Image by Sabrina Cloutier
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From planning to practice: Re-thinking Ecosystem Conservation, Restoration and Rehabilitation of Quebec's Landscapes for a Sustainable and Reselient Future.
Mendes P, Goyette J-O, Torchio GM, Galang EIN, Blouin D, Cimon-Morin J, Pellerin S, Vaillancourt M, Turmel-Coucherne L, Čapkun-Huot C, Destrempes C, Bennett E, Harvey B, Poulin M. (2024).
Our mission with this project was to foster collaborative partnerships between academics, government agencies, and relevant stakeholders and to enhance knowledge sharing and co-development of strategies, focusing on the crucial task of ecosystem conservation, restoration and rehabilitation in Quebec.
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