André Arsenault

Image Arsenault, André
Forest Ecologist
Natural Resources Canada
Canadian Forestry Service, Atlantic Forestry Centre, Corner Brook, NL.

Current research and/or projects

Biography:

I study the patterns and effects of natural disturbances (fire, bark beetles, and insect defoliators) and logging on biological diversity, forest dynamics, and ecosystem services along key ecological gradients. I enjoy reading trees rings to decipher the past and getting to know the requirements of species at risk, especially epiphytic lichens, to protect them better. From Quebec’s Beauce to BC’s coast, subalpine, intermontane forests and to Newfoundland and Labrador’s very cool boreal I am always in awe at the beauty and complexity of our forests.

Research and/or project statements

Current Research Projects:

  • The ecology and management of ponderosa pine forests: an endangered ecosystem in Canada.
  • Distribution, ecology, and restoration of epiphytic cyanolichen habitats in Canada: a multi-disciplinary approach.
  • Historical reconstruction of forest dynamics and climates of dominant forest types in British Columbia and in Newfoundland and Labrador across a climatic gradient.
  • Vegetation and tree regeneration response to anthropogenic and natural disturbances in Canadian forests.
  • Ecology and management of deadwood in Canadian forests.
  • Ecology of old-growth forests in Canada.

Professional activities / interests

Participation to committees:

  • Co-chair, Ecology and Conservation Section, Canadian Botanical Association.
  • Co-chair, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Lichen recovery committee.
  • Appointed member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Species Status Advisory Committee .

Review of scientific texts

Professional advice

Interests:

  • Forest ecology and management
  • Disturbance ecology and forest dynamics
  • Old-growth forest
  • Coarse woody debris and bio-fuel
  • Lichen ecology
  • Conservation biology
  • Silviculture systems

Education and awards

Degrees:

B.Sc. in Biology/Ecology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 1987.

M.Sc. in Biology/Ecology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 1990.

Ph.D. in Botany, University of British Columbia, 1995.

Awards:

2015 Canadian Forest Service recognition award for contribution on the boreal synthesis team. 

Tuckerman award (Honourable mention for best paper in lichenology).

Award of excellence for 1st place among papers presented at the 76th annual meeting of the Pacific Division of AAAS (1995).

Honourable mention for 2nd place (Lionel Cinq-Mars Award) among papers presented at an annual meeting of the Canadian Botanical Association (1994).

NSERC scholarship (B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D.).

Additional links

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andre-Arsenault

 

Key publications

  1. Arsenault, A.; Goward, T. .2016. Macrolichen diversity as an indicator of stand age and ecosystem resilience along a precipitation gradient in humid forests of inland British Columbia, Canada. Ecological Indicators, 69, 730-738.

  2. Arsenault, A. 2015. The role of large fires in the boreal ecosystem of Canada in The Ecological Importance of Mixed-Severity Fires: Nature's Phoenix. In press By Elsevier.

  3. Venier, L.A., Hebert, C. De Grandpré, L., Arseneault, A., Walton, R., Morris, D. Venier, L. A., Hébert, C., De Grandpré, L., Arsenault, A., Walton, R., & Morris, D. M. 2015. Modelling deadwood supply for biodiversity conservation: Considerations, challenges and recommendations. The Forestry Chronicle, 91(4), 407-416.

  4. Arsenault, A., and G. Larocque. 2015. Indicators of ecosystem integrity. Chapter 13. in Ecological forest management handbook. Editors: Guy R. Larocque, pp.Pages 361–380. CRC Press CRC, Florida, USA.

  5. Larocque, G. R.; Bhatti, J.; Hazlett, P.; Arsenault, A.; & Komarov, A. 2014. Special issue: Research advances in productivity, succession, management and carbon and water cycles in the boreal forest. Écoscience, 21(3-4), v-vii
  6. Odion, D.C.; Hanson, C.T.; Arsenault, A.; Baker, W.L.; DellaSala, D.A.; Hutto, R.L.; Klenner, W.; Moritz, M.A.; Sherriff, R.L.; Veblen, T. T.; Williams, M.A. 2014. Examining historical and current mixed-severity fire regimes in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of western north America. PLoS ONE 9(2): 1-14. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0087852.
  7. Larocque, G.R.; Bhatti, J.; Arsenault, A. 2014. Integrated modelling software platform development for effective use of ecosystem models. Ecological Modelling 288: 195-202. doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.06.011.
  8. Venier, L.A.; Thompson, I.; Trofymow, J.A.; Malcolm, J.; Langor, D.; Fleming, R.; Aubin, I.; Sturrock, R.; Patry, C.; Outerbridge, R.O.; Messier, C.; Holmes, S.B.; Haeussler, S.; DeGrandpre, L.; Chen, H.; Bayne, E.; Arsenault, A. 2014. Long-term effects of anthropogenic change on biodiversity of Canadian boreal forests. Environmental reviews. 22: 1-34. doi:10.1139/er-2013-0075.
  9. Stevenson, S.; Jull, M.; Armleder, H.; Arsenault, A.; Coxson, D.; DeLong, C. 2011. Ecology, conservation and management of British Columbia’s inland rainforest. UBC Press. 432 pages.

For more publications by this author, consult the CFS publications database.

Contact

Research facility

Atlantic Forestry Centre
1350 Regent Street South
P.O. Box 4000
Fredericton, NB E3C 2G6
Canada

Expertise

Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Ecosystems & Habitats›Biodiversity
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Ecosystems & Habitats›Boreal forest
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Ecosystems & Habitats›Critical habitat (species at risk)
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Ecosystems & Habitats›Ecosystem health
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Ecosystems & Habitats›Forests
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Forestry›Conservation of forest biodiversity
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Forestry›Forest dynamics
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Forestry›Forest ecology
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Forestry›Forest fire
Environment›Nature & Wildlife›Forestry›Forest management

Affiliations

Adjunct Professor, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Grenfell Campus, School of Science and the Environment.

Language

English
French