Exploring carbon dynamics along power lines!
Quebec researchers unveil the behind-the-scenes of an innovative project with Hydro-Québec!
Professors Evelyne Thiffault and David Paré, along with PhD candidate Antoine Harel, are taking part in a series of video capsules produced by Hydro-Québec that showcase a collaborative research project on carbon dynamics in forests. As a reminder, Hydro-Québec is the public utility responsible for generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity throughout Quebec.
Since 2022, a team of researchers and graduate students in forest sciences has been conducting a large-scale research project in collaboration with Hydro-Québec. Supervised by Professor Evelyne Thiffault, the project aims to better understand the impact of electricity transmission lines on carbon dynamics in forest ecosystems. It sits at the intersection of major issues related to the energy transition, climate change, and the sustainable management of forest ecosystems.
More specifically, the research focuses on the role of power line rights-of-way—considered anthropogenic linear disturbances, within temperate and boreal forest ecosystems of Eastern Canada. By altering forest structure, vegetation, and soil conditions, these infrastructures can influence carbon fluxes, a key component of forest carbon budgets and climate change mitigation. The project’s objective is therefore to quantify these effects in order to improve understanding of how forested landscapes function and to inform better management practices for energy infrastructure.
As part of this collaboration, Hydro-Québec produced a series of video capsules filmed at the Montmorency Forest and the Gene-H.-Kruger Pavilion. The videos feature Evelyne Thiffault, David Paré, and Antoine Harel, who clearly and accessibly present the project’s objectives, key concepts related to carbon dynamics, and the research methods used in the field, particularly soil respiration measurements.
These videos concretely illustrate how scientific research contributes to a better understanding of interactions between human infrastructure and forest ecosystems, while also highlighting the importance of collaboration between academia and a public corporation such as Hydro-Québec. The expected results will not only advance scientific knowledge but also support the development of more sustainable practices in forest management and electricity transmission.
Learn more by watching these video capsules.
What is the main goal of your research (Evelyne Thiffault): https://youtu.be/HDbH6GQGPTs
How do carbon dynamics function (Evelyne Thiffault): https://youtu.be/E_N3Xfy0HxY
Why is it important to measure forest carbon (David Paré): https://youtu.be/Jm4xb2qYUO8
How do you measure soil respiration (Antoine Harel): https://youtu.be/iT-4tL43nAI
Transmission line right-of-way: https://youtu.be/ypkceEhfIJc
