Forest Resources Laboratory

Research in the Forest Resources Laboratory (FRL) at Nipissing University focuses on aspects of biology at the community, ecosystem and landscape levels of organization. Using the forests of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence and Northeastern Boreal regions of Ontario as our natural laboratory, we explore patterns in the distribution, composition and productivity of plant communities, and the ecological drivers that produce these patterns. Ultimately, we strive to translate the knowledge we gain of ecological patterns on the landscape in to practical applications for forest resource management.

A major aim in our research is providing scientific knowledge to support the sustainable development of new forestry products in northern Ontario. Recently we have embarked on a long-term research program with the objective of developing ecological inventory and supply-management tools for Boreal forest resources. These resources include both the forest trees (sources of fibre, biomass and biofuels) and the understorey plants (sources of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and foods). Species of interest include Black Spruce (Picea mariana), an important Boreal forest tree, and Ground Hemlock (Taxus canadensis), an evergreen shrub that is a source of paclitaxel, which is used in the treatment of various types of cancer. This list is expanding as the project develops, adding as many plant species as possible to the inventory.

Studies currently underway in the FRL are aimed at developing models of abundance, productivity and quality for each species of interest across the range of ecological conditions which occur in the Boreal forest. To reach this goal we use dendrochronology, digital image analysis, ecological land classification, geographic information systems and predictive ecological mapping techniques.

For more information on the FRL or any of our projects please contact Dr. Jeff Dech.

a mature black spruce stand
A mature black spruce stand in the boreal forest near Timmins, Ontario.
forest resource lab members taking a break from field work
The first FRL team - Bill Shaver, Paul Courville, Dr. Jeff Dech, and Thomas Quint
forest resources lab members walking by a beaver dam
The FRL crew trekking across a beaver dam to find a research plot
researchers using LiDAR technology
Scanning a black spruce using terrestrial LiDAR technology
researchers collecting samples
Collecting dendrochronological samples in a black spruce bog near Cochrane, Ontario

Research in forest resources laboratory (FRL) explores patterns in the distribution, composition and productivity of plant communities, and the ecological drivers that produce these patterns. A number of research project topics would fall into this overall objective, and potential projects could emphasize dendrochronological, community analysis or GIS approaches.

Possible Project Topics:

In the near future there may be opportunities to pursue projects related to the following topics: 

  • Prediction of wood and fibre attributes in relation to landscape-level variation in soil moisture.
  • Modeling temporal changes in wood quality across different ecological site conditions in the boreal forest.
  • Dendrochronological analyses of disturbance events (e.g. insect outbreaks, fire) in central and northeastern Ontario.

For more information on these topics or other related project ideas contact Dr. Jeff Dech.

Student Employment Opportunities

If you are interested in the research being conducted in the Forest Resources Lab, please stop by the Lab at H226 or contact Dr. Jeff Dech for more information.

Graduate Students

  • Courtney Antram (MESc) – Evaluation of δ18O of soil charcoal as an indicator of past forest fire severity. Co-supervised by with Dr. Elizabeth Webb, Department of Earth Sciences, Western University.
  • Olivia Fetterly (MESc) – The effects anthropogenic vibration on bioluminescent fungal mycelium. Co-supervised by Dr. Kirsten Greer, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geography, Nipissing University.

Undergraduates

  • Robert Belilse (BSc) – Analysis of δ18O of Charcoal from Fire Scars in Red Pine as an Indicator of Burn Severity
  • Teanna Paczay (BSc) – Assessing the Effects of Partial Harvest on Black Spruce in the Boreal Forest of Northeastern Ontario Using Stem Analysis

Post-Doctoral Fellow

  • Dr. Bharat Pokharel (2009-2013) - Growth and wood quality modelling of boreal tree species.

Visiting Students

  • Liang Shi (2018-19) - Visiting PhD student, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, China. Forest dynamics in response to environmental change in the coniferous forests of northeast China.

Graduate Students

  • Dawson Meecham (MESc) – Vegetation recovery on forest road segments in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence and Boreal Regions of Ontario. Co-supervised by Dr. Doug Reid, Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystems Research, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
  • Elizabeth Elliott (MESc 2021) – Reconstructing spatial patterns of fire intensity from remote sensing data and stable oxygen isotopes in wood char. Co-supervised by Dr. Elizabeth Webb, Department of Earth Sciences, Western University.
  • Tegan McWhirter (MESc 2021) – Analyzing stable oxygen isotopes in wood char to reconstruct past fire conditions. Co-supervised by Dr. Elizabeth Webb, Department of Earth Sciences, Western University.
  • Amanda Springer (MESc 2019) - Multivariate approach to describing the regeneration niche of Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra Marsh) in the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Forest.
  • Rebecca Wylie (MESc 2019) - Estimating stand age from airborne laser scanning data to improve ecosite-based models of black spruce wood quality in the boreal forest of Ontario.
  • Mandy Ehnes (MESc 2017) - Acoustic Monitoring of Bird Community Composition in Emerald Ash Borer Damaged and at Risk Southern Ontario Forests. Co-supervised by Dr. Jennifer Foote, Department of Biology, Algoma University.
  • Corinne Arthur (MESc 2015) – Species composition drives ecological stability in dry forests of the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence forest region of Ontario, Canada.
  • Amanda Paulin (MES 2014) - Ontario forest products: place branding and certification. Co-Supervised by Dr. John Nadeau, School of Business, Nipissing University.
  • Elisha Townshend (MESc 2013) - Ecologically-based modelling of wood fibre length in black spruce (Picea mariana).

  • Jacob McAneney (2009-15) - Research Assistant, Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation Youth Intern.
  • Michelle Bowman (2012-13) - FedNor Youth Internship.
  • Melissa Lacey (2009-10) - Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation Youth Intern.
  • Paul Courville (2008-11) - Forest Bioproducts Associate.

  • Taylor Bottoms-Cau (BSc. 2023) – Cover and diversity of lichens and bryophytes on inactive forest roads in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence region.
  • Kathleen Woodhouse (BSc 2022) – Investigating the divergence problem in tree species of the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario across a gradient of moisture regimes.
  • 2021. Hunter Mosher - Climate variability and growth in black spruce (Picea mariana) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana) in the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario over the 20th century.
  • 2021. Kyesha Fong - Impacts of Climate Change on the Frequency & Severity of Spruce Needle Rust (Chrysomyxa ledi) on Spruce Trees (Picea spp.)
  • 2019. Breanna Craig - Defoliation of Boreal Forest Stands During Spruce Budworm Outbreaks In Relation To Site Quality
  • 2019. Jerret Johns - Coppice Growth of Quercus rubra, Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum under uniform shelterwood and group selection partial harvest treatments in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region.
  • 2015. Christopher Carr - Diversity and stability in tree seedling assemblages exposed to controlled drought.
  • 2012. Chloe Lajoie - Reconstruction of Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hbn.) outbreaks and their effects on Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) growth in relation to stand and site factors in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence and Boreal regions of Ontario, Canada.
  • 2011. Elisha Townshend - Stand dynamics of Black Ash swamps and their influence on habitat quality for flooded jellyskin (Leptogium rivulare).
  • 2011. Jacob McAneney - Examining historical climate trends in the Great Lakes – St Lawrence region of central Ontario based on reconstruction of radial growth from very old conifers in ridgetop forests.
  • 2010. Steve Simpson - Amphibian Activity in Skidder Trails in Central Ontario Hardwood Forests
  • 2010. Whitney Winsor - Quantifying Variation in the Wood Quality Black Spruce (Picea mariana) and Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) in Relation to Site Conditions in the Boreal Forest of Northeastern Ontario.
  • 2010. Shawn Mayhew-Hammond - Predictive Habitat Modeling of Canada Yew (Taxus canadensis Marsh.) in the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario.
  • 2010. Cora Murray - Dendrochronological analysis of Taxus canadensis in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest Region.
  • 2009. Scott Perry - Determining the effect of species richness and composition on forest productivity and stability in the boreal forest of Ontario.
  • 2009. Paul Courville - Determining crown attributes and aboveground biomass in Black Spruce at different spacing using terrestrial LiDAR.
  • 2008. Thomas Quint - Cover to biomass conversion tool for Canada Yew (Taxus canadensis) inventories in the northeastern boreal forest.