Chairholders
Profile
Hubert Morin
Department of Fundamental Science
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
Chair title
NSERC Industrial Research Chair on Black Spruce Growth and the Influence of Spruce Budworm on Landscape Variability in Boreal Forests
Chair program
Industrial Research Chairs program
Role
Senior Chairholder since 2016
Summary
The Chair targets three research topics:
- the relationships between spruce budworm outbreaks and landscape variability in boreal forests;
- the history and evolution of spruce budworm outbreaks and their impact on wood-supply management and wood quality; and
- the impact of climate change on growth and quality of black spruce stems.
The Chairholder is an expert in boreal forest dynamics with regard to natural disturbances (chiefly spruce budworm outbreaks). He has developed new methods of analyzing macrofossils and microfossils to evaluate spruce budworm activity throughout the Holocene, as well as a new approach to understanding the subtle relationships between environmental variables and growth and the mechanisms involved. The Chair will determine the impact of past spruce budworm outbreaks on the structural variability of the boreal forest over the medium term (the past 1,000 years) and the long term (the entire Holocene). The history and spatial/temporal dynamics of these outbreaks will be used to predict the impact of the current outbreak and future outbreaks on wood-supply management and stem quality. The Chair will also identify the variables that influence black spruce growth in the context of climate change and recurring spruce budworm outbreaks. The results will be put to good use both by companies operating in the boreal forest and by Quebec’s ministry of forests, wildlife and parks. The industry partner, Resolute Forest Products, will ensure the relevance of the research, and the company’s technical co-operation at its mill will be essential for all aspects related to wood quality. The results will be useful for wood-supply management activities, certification activities, and management of woods affected by spruce budworm outbreaks.
Partners
- Resolute Forest Products
- Fondation de l’UQAC
- Quebec ministry of forests, wildlife and parks
Contact information
Department of Fundamental Science
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
555, boul. de l’Université Est
Québec, Québec
G7H 2B1
Tel.: 418-545-5011, ext. 5062
Fax: 418-615-1203
Email: hmorin@uqac.ca
