|
|
|
|
Quint, T.C., and Dech, J.P., In Press. Allometric models for predicting the aboveground biomass of Canada Yew (Taxus canadensis Marsh.) from visual and digital cover estimates. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. Pokharel, B., and Dech, J.P., In Press. An ecological land classification approach to modeling the production of forest biomass. Forestry Chronicle. Maun, M.A., Dech, J.P., Wiklund, J.A. Martin, R.R., and Schincariol, R.R. 2010. Environmental gradients in the water and sediments of the Old Ausable River Channel. In Maun, M.A. and Schincariol, R.A. (Editors) “Impacts of Water Diversion on Biotic Communities of a River in a Dune Watershed.” National Research Council of Canada Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario. Maun, M.A., Dech, J.P., and Wiklund, J.A. 2010. Zonation of plant community composition along enviornmental gradients in the Old Ausable River Channel. In Maun, M.A. and Schincariol, R.A. (Editors) “Impacts of Water Diversion on Biotic Communities of a River in a Dune Watershed.” National Research Council of Canada Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario. Maun, M.A., Schincariol, R.A., Dech, J.P., Wiklund, J.A., Dewdney, A.K., and Barrett, J.N. 2010. General Summary. In Maun, M.A. and Schincariol, R.A. (Editors) “Impacts of Water Diversion on Biotic Communities of a River in a Dune Watershed.” National Research Council of Canada Research Press, Ottawa, Ontario. Dech, J.P. 2009. Adventitious root production in woody plants of coastal dune ecosystems: selective pressures, adaptations and potential applications. In Niemi, K., and Scagel, C. (Editors), Adventitious Root Formation in Forest Trees and Horticultural Plants - From Genes to Applications. Research Signpost (ISBN: 978-81-308-0342-5). Dech, J.P., Robinson, L.M., and Nosko, P. 2008. Understorey plant community characteristics and natural hardwood regeneration under three partial harvest treatments applied in a Quercus rubra L. (northern red oak) stand in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Forest region of Canada. Forest Ecology and Management 256: 760-773. Dech, J.P. and Maun, M.A. 2006. The ecological significance of sand burial to trees and shrubs on coastal sand dunes at Pinery Provincial Park. In: Nelson, G., Nudds, T., Beveridge, M., Dempster, B., Lefler, L., and Zajc, E. (Editors), “Protected Areas and Species and Ecosystems at Risk: Research and Planning Challenges”. Proceedings of the Parks Research Forum of Ontario (PRFO) and Carolinian Canada Coalition (CCC) Annual General Meeting, May 5-7, 2005. University of Guelph. pp 309-319. Dech, J.P., and Maun, M.A. 2006. Adventitious root production and plastic resource allocation to biomass determine burial tolerance in woody plants from central Canadian coastal dunes. Annals of Botany 98: 1095-1105. Dech, J.P., and Maun, M.A. 2005. Zonation of vegetation along a burial gradient on the leeward slopes of Lake Huron sand dunes. Canadian Journal of Botany 83: 227-236. Dech, J.P., Maun, M.A., and Pazner, M.I. 2005. Blowout dynamics on Lake Huron sand dunes:analysis of digital multispectral data from colour airphotos. Catena 60: 165-180. Dech, J.P., and Nosko, P. 2004. Rapid growth and early flowering in an invasive plant (Lythrum salicaria L.), during an El Nino spring. International Journal of Biometeorology 49: 26-31. Dech, J.P., and Nosko, P. 2002. Population establishment, dispersal and impact of Galerucella pusilla and G. calmariensis, introduced to control purple loosestrife in central Ontario. Biological Control. 23: 228-236. Return to the top of this page Forest Bioproducts Research Chair (2008-2013) This project has the overall objective of developing ecologically-based inventory and supply management tools for the bioresources of the Boreal forest of northeastern Ontario. These resources include both the trees (sources of fibre, biomass, biofuels) and the understorey plants (sources of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and foods) contained within our regional forests. Ultimately, the project will lead to the production of predictive spatial models that depict the quantity and/or quality of specific forest bioproducts in a given forest region from landscape level indicator variables. Development of these models would significantly improve the capacity for managing novel forest resources in the northeastern Ontario region, as the lack of a sufficient inventory is a major barrier to sustainable development of new bioproducts from Canadian forests (Wetzel et al. 2006). There are hundreds of potential bioproducts that could be derived from the boreal forest of northern Canada. To begin developing an inventory system for these resources, it is necessary to study a few key species within a specific region and design appropriate methodologies for abundance, productivity and quality modeling before expanding to include the large array of species and geographic locations encompassed by the boreal forest ecosystem. Initially, we will focus on representative species of interest including Black Spruce (Picea mariana) an ecologically and economically 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 (Wetzel et al. 2006). In terms of geographic context, the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario provides an ideal location to establish the project. The Romeo Malette Forest Unit near the city of Timmins, has become an important hub of forest research in the region. This area has an extensive network of permanent sample plots and coverage of landscape-level inventory data, including several products derived from LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) remote sensing data. The coverage of LiDAR data is of particular importance to the project, as this can be used to produce very high resolution information on the characteristics of forest landscape. For example, it is well known that slope and aspect are key features of the landscape that influence forest growth and development over broad spatial scales. The LiDAR derived digital elevation model can be used to directly explore the relationship between these landscape-level ecological drivers and the productivity or quality attributes of a given species. Furthermore, LiDAR data have been used as the basis of predictive ecosite modelling in the Romeo Malette forest, which divides the landscape into standard units defined by species composition and environmental conditions. These units represent a new level of spatial resolution that has not been available in previous resource inventories; however, the relationships between ecosite classification and the abundance, productivity and quality of forest trees and understorey species are unknown. This project will fill that gap in our knowledge, by establishing models of species attributes that are applicable at the ecosite level. Return to the top of this page
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS Dech, J.P. 2009. An ecologically-based bioproducts inventory for the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario. Midis de la foresterie, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Rouyn-Noranda, QC. March 24, 2009. (Invited) Dech, J.P. 2009. An ecologically-based bioproducts inventory for the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario. Forest Biomass Discovery Workshop, Queen's University, Kingston, ON. March 7, 2009. (Invited) Dech, J.P. 2009. An ecologically-based bioproducts inventory for the boreal forest of northeastern Ontario. Inventory Workshop, Canadian Institute of Forestry - Northwestern Ontario Section, Natural Resource Centre, Thunder Bay, ON. Feb. 24, 2009 (Invited) Major, K.C., Nosko, P., and Dech, J.P. 2008. Competitive relations of red oak and sugar maple differ between oak and pine soils. Presented at Botany 2008 – Botany Without Borders, Joint Meeting of the Canadian Botanical Association and the American Botanical Society, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. July 26-30, 2008. Robinson, L.M., Dech, J.P., and Nosko, P. 2008. Changes in microenvironment and plant community characteristics following partial harvest: implications for regenerating red oak in Great Lakes - St. Lawrence (GLSL) forests. Presented at Botany 2008 – Botany Without Borders, Joint Meeting of the Canadian Botanical Association and the American Botanical Society, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. July 26-30, 2008. Diebolt, T., Nosko, P., and Dech, J.P. 2008. Herbivory chlorophyll and phenol levels of northern red oak leaves under partial harvest treatments. Presented at Botany 2008 – Botany Without Borders, Joint Meeting of the Canadian Botanical Association and the American Botanical Society, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. July 26-30, 2008. Dech, J.P., Robinson, L.M. and Nosko, P. 2007. Understorey plant community responses to three different partial harvesting systems applied in a central Ontario red oak forest. Presented at the 6th North American Forest Ecology Workshop, June 18-22, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Robinson, L.M., Dech J.P., and Nosko, P. 2007. Density and growth of northern red oak and maple competitors in relation to microenvironment under different canopy cover treatments within a central Ontario oak forest. Presented at the 6th North American Forest Ecology Workshop, June 18-22, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Dech, J.P. 2007. Exploring the regeneration niche of red oak in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence forest region. Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, Sault St. Marie, ON, Canada. April, 2007.(Invited) Dech, J.P. 2006. Life in a dynamic environment: the future of ecological research on Great Lakes coastal dunes. Great Lakes Dune Conference (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), Oct.3-5, 2006. Traverse City, MI, USA. (Invited) Dech, J.P., and Maun, M.A. 2005. The ecological significance of burial to trees and shrubs on coastal dunes at Pinery Provincial Park. Presented at Parks and Protected Areas and Species and Ecosystems at risk: Research and Planning Challenges, Joint 2005 Annual General Meeting of The Parks Research Forum of Ontario and Carolinian Canada Coalition, May 5-7th, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Dech, J.P., and Maun, M.A. 2003. Ecophysiological responses to burial in woody plants of Lake Huron sand dunes. Presented at Plant Canada 2003, Joint meeting of the Canadian Botanical Association and the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada, June 25-29, 2003. Return to the top of this page Research and employment opportunities are listed at the Forest Resources Laboratory Opportunities page. Return to the top of this page
|
