Fieldwork and experiment

Fieldwork

I have taken part in fieldwork sampling in many different locations, sometimes even in remote and extreme conditions. As an ecologist, I highly treasure these experiences for their scientific value but also for the personal discoveries behind.

Soil sampling with an auger.

Some sampling are quicker than others… A few Schoenus individuals can be seen in this abandonned ultramafic soil.

Experiments

Following the observations of patterns in nature is fundamental but in-situ and ex-situ experiments can offer unique answers

The picture above shows a glasshouse experiment at the Botanical garden of Montréal aiming at understanding the performance of sugar maple with different soil biotic and abiotic treatments while controlling for climatic differences

The picture above shows a field experiment in an old mining site in New Caledonia aiming at improving the success of ecological restoration using native species and different seed treatments

“Natural” experiments
Sometimes nature even offers to ecologists “natural experiments” such as glacier retreats which represents unique opportunity to study the development of soil and multi-trophic interaction networks or altitudinal gradients that can also be use in space-for-time substitution.

The picture above shows the quick biotic colonization following the recent retreat of the Glacier noir in the Alps.

The picture above shows the change from temperate to boreal forest occuring in the Mont Saint-Joseph, Québec