ALBERT

Description: The constancy of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) self-thinning relationship has been investigated among four study areas located in different ecological regions of Quebec's humid boreal forest. These four study areas contained respectively 348, 252, 146, and 55 observations (plots × measures) sampled over a period of up to 40 years. A self-thinning fitting method was developed to position objectively the self-thinning lines but, moreover, to allow comparisons among the different study areas. This method relies on principal component analysis to estimate the self-thinning line parameters and on the "jackknife" procedure to provide a standard error of these estimates. Results demonstrate a concordance for the slope (p = 0.136) and the intercept (p = 0.148) among self-thinning relationships of those study areas. The combination of these four study areas in one large data set, to provide a general estimation of balsam fir self-thinning line, has given a slope of 1.441 with a 4.114 intercept which is in agreement with the 3/2 power law of self-thinning. In this study, this law was able to describe the sizedensity relationship of stands of various ages and growing within different conditions as expressed by the different ecological regions.

Description: Following spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) outbreaks, Baskerville's model (G.L. Baskerville. 1975. Spruce budworm: super silviculturalist. For. Chron. 51: 138-140), referred to as the cyclic model, is generally accepted as one of the best established regeneration models in wet boreal fir stands typical of northeastern America. According to that model, old virgin fir stands killed by the insect are replaced by other fir stands. In this study, we wanted to check if the cyclic model would work with wet boreal fir stands originating from harvest and having reached the felling age (50-60 years old) observed in Quebec. The study set up after the last budworm outbreak (1974-1987) shows that, although coniferous regeneration is abundant, the seedling bank is obviously immature: young and small seedlings, empty microsites. In most cases, the regeneration is codominated or dominated by deciduous species, which may bring about the development of a deciduous stand. Thus, the cyclic model does not seem suited to describe dynamics of second-growth boreal fir stands when it is kept in a premature state (

Description: The renewal of boreal fir stands after harvesting is related to the abundance of fir advanced regeneration. The objective of this study was to compare the advanced regeneration in 45-years-old balsam fir stands of second growth to determine if ecological site conditions could explain some regeneration problems noted in the balsam fir – white birch ecoclimatic domain. Seven ecological phases were studied; these are among the most common in the Laurentians north of Québec. On the basis of fir seedling densities (2 years old and more), three groups could be distinguished using a cluster analysis method for grouping means. Dry balsam fir – herb-and-moss type on well drained tills formed a first group characterized with very high seedling densities (〉 60 000 seedlings/ha). A second group, characterized with high seedling densities (25 000 – 40 000 seedlings/ha), was constituted of three phases with an important moss cover:the mesic balsam fir – moss-and-herb type on moderately well drained tills, the humid balsam fir – moss-and-herb type on imperfectly drained tills with seepage, and the humid balsam fir – moss type on imperfectly drained tills. A third group, with low seedling densities (

Description: Riparian forests are often identified as prime habitat for wildlife because of the presence of particular plant communities and edges creating a highly developed and diversified vegetation structure. However, in the northeastern boreal forests of Canada, where narrow land–water ecotones with abrupt edges are quite common, the relative habitat value of riparian forests remains to be demonstrated. We compared bird communities of eight pairs of riparian and nonriparian plots, similar in vegetation structure and composition, to verify the relative value for breeding birds of typical coniferous riparian forest stands of the southern boreal region of eastern Quebec. Bird abundance (P = 0.02), richness (P = 0.03), and diversity (P = 0.02) were significantly higher in the riparian stands, where the spatial sequence of three distinct habitats (a balsam fir (Abiesbalsamea (L.) Mill.)–northern white cedar (Thujaoccidentalis L.) forest, a narrow alder (Alnusrugosa (Du Roi) Spreng.) - grass wetland, and water) created high horizontal vegetation diversity. In riparian stands median bird richness and density were, respectively, 23.5 species and 437.5 territories/km2 compared with 19.0 species and 348.2 territories/km2 for interior stands. Nine species were observed exclusively in riparian plots. In addition to the species usually found in the studied nonriparian forests, the riparian plots were used by species typically related to the water edge such as the Northern Waterthrush (Seiurusnoveboracensis Gmelin) and Rusty Blackbird (Euphaguscarolinus Miiller) as well as species associated with the shrub and grass wetland such as the American Robin (Turdusmigratorius L.), the Veery (Catharusfuscescens Stephens), and the Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypistrichas L.). The shrub-foraging guild showed higher abundance in riparian stands. The tree-foraging and tree-bole foraging guilds, however, were comparable in both groups of stands. In this study, the natural conditions prevailing along he riparian sites appeared mostly positive for the breeding-bird community; it created what is perceived as being an "edge effect." The edge effect can be defined, in this case, as being the additional density and number of species induced by the added horizontal vegetation diversity created by the close association of three extremely different ecosystems: a forest stand, an aquatic ecosystem, and a narrow but distinct shrub-grass wetland. This also confirms the necessity of distinguishing natural edges that are permanent features of the landscape from induced edges created by human activity.

Description: En pessière noire, le procédé de récolte habituel est celui de la coupe avec protection de la régénération et des sols (CPRS), un procédé de coupe totale. Socialement, ce type de pratique est mal perçu principalement pour ses impacts visuels. Toutefois, il existe pour les écosystèmes boréaux, d’autres procédés de récolte adaptés, issus de l’aménagement écosystémique. Cette étude présente une comparaison de l’acceptabilité visuelle des traitements sylvicoles permettant une plus grande rétention végétale par rapport à la CPRS (coupe avec protection de la haute régénération (CPHRS), coupe avec protection des petites tiges marchandes (CPPTM) et CPRS avec rétention de bouquets). Elle vérifie aussi si des différences dans les jugements d’acceptabilité existent selon l’appartenance à une région ressource forestière et à certains groupes d’intérêts, tels les environnementalistes, les amateurs de plein-air et d’intérêt général. Il en ressort que la qualité et la quantité de la régénération laissée après coupe influencent le jugement et que les traitements permettant de conserver une structure résiduelle parviennent à mitiger, partiellement, les impacts visuels des méthodes de coupe rase traditionnelles. Finalement, l’appartenance à une région forestière n’influence pas le jugement en ce qui a trait à l’acceptabilité visuelle des coupes. Les différences entre les groupes d’intérêts laissent plutôt croire que ce sont les connaissances reliées au milieu forestier qui influencent le plus le jugement.

Description: A clear relationship (P  0.05) from one ecoregion to another. The effect of moisture gradient on stand vigor and the biological performances of the spruce budworm may explain the results obtained.

Description: Background: Floods represent a serious threat to human health beyond the immediate risk of drowning. There is few data on the potential link between floods and direct consequences on health such as on cardiovascular health. This study aimed to explore the impact of one of the worst floods in the history of Quebec, Canada on acute cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Methods: A cohort study with a time series design with multiple control groups was built with the adult population identified in the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System. A geographic information system approach was used to define the study areas. Logistic regressions were performed to compare the occurrence of CVD between groups. Results: The results showed a 25%–27% increase in the odds in the flooded population in spring 2011 when compared with the population in the same area in springs 2010 and 2012. Besides, an increase up to 69% was observed in individuals with a medical history of CVD. Conclusion: Despite interesting results, the association was not statistically significant. A possible explanation to this result can be that the population affected by the flood was probably too small to provide the statistical power to answer the question, and leaves open a substantial possibility for a real and large effect.

Description: Research Highlights: This research provides an application of a model assessing the naturalness of the forest ecosystem to demonstrate its capacity to assess either the deterioration or the rehabilitation of the ecosystem through different forest management scenarios. Background and Objectives: The model allows the assessment of the quality of ecosystems at the landscape level based on the condition of the forest and the proportion of different forest management practices to precisely characterize a given strategy. The present work aims to: (1) verify the capacity of the Naturalness Assessment Model to perform bi-directional assessments, allowing not only the evaluation of the deterioration of naturalness characteristics, but also its improvement related to enhanced ecological management or restoration strategies; (2) identify forest management strategies prone to improving ecosystem quality; (3) analyze the model’s capacity to summarize the effect of different practices along a single alteration gradient. Materials and Methods: The Naturalness Assessment Model was adapted to the Abies balsamea–Betula papyrifera forest of Quebec (Canada), and a naturalness assessment of two sectors with different historical management strategies was performed. Fictive forest management scenarios were evaluated using different mixes of forestry practices. The sensitivity of the reference data set used for the naturalness assessment has been evaluated by comparing the results using data from old management plans with those based on Quebec’s reference state registry. Results: The model makes it possible to identify forest management strategies capable of improving ecosystem quality compared to the current situation. The model’s most sensitive variables are regeneration process, dead wood, closed forest and cover type. Conclusions: In the Abies balsamea–Betula papyrifera forest, scenarios with enhanced protection and inclusion of irregular shelterwood cuttings could play an important role in improving ecosystem quality. Conversely, scenarios with short rotation (50 years) could lead to further degradation of the ecosystem quality.

Description: Large-scale timber harvesting in the northern black spruce forest, on Quebec Cree territory, causes immediate loss of productive wildlife habitat for Cree hunters. Duration of this impact is key information to improve forest management. The objective here was to examine the postharvesting habitat restoration delay for snowshoe hare, a species valuable to Cree hunters, as well as a wildlife indicator of the sapling stage. A minimum threshold for vegetation development was established, at which the return of hare populations is considered acceptable by Cree hunters. To do so, an adaptive approach was used, combining Cree hunter knowledge and biological assessment. Hare populations were monitored in 36 cut blocks, ranging from 0 to 30 years after harvest. Cree hunters were interviewed to determine when a cut block becomes adequate for snaring. The combined analysis of the two knowledge sources indicated that stands that meet the threshold average 4 m in height, 6300 trees/ha in density, and are aged between 13 and 27 years. Current regulation sets this threshold at 3 m in height, regardless of cut block scale, and at 20 years postcut when considering family hunting ground scale, and thus, does not fully meet sustainable resource development objectives.

Description: Sustainable management of natural ecosystems requires adequate participation of Aboriginal people. This especially includes the joint use of local ecological and scientific knowledge to document natural processes and develop management guidelines. Despite increasing recognition of this principle, endorsed by the international community and several Aboriginal nations, there are very few genuine cases that show significant progress in this discipline. This case is similar in North American forestry where several initiatives have documented Aboriginal land use without ever significantly recognizing local knowledge in the development of forest management guidelines. In the search for innovative solutions on this topic, the Waswanipi Cree Model Forest developed a governance tool that allows Cree land users to translate their needs into management plans. We collaborated on this initiative by developing and testing a participatory approach, allowing the development of moose ( Alces alces L.) habitat management guidelines, better adapted to the socioecological context of the Cree. This innovative approach increases mutual understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal managers and favours the social acceptability of the guidelines while contributing to a more sustainable management of this northern and fragile ecosystem. This study will influence stakeholders striving to improve collaborative ecosystem management with Aboriginal people.