{"id":18107,"date":"2020-02-13T19:35:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-13T19:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.inrs.ca\/wetlands-our-researchers-in-action\/"},"modified":"2020-09-15T11:30:35","modified_gmt":"2020-09-15T15:30:35","slug":"les-zones-humides-nos-chercheurs-en-action%e2%80%89","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.inrs.ca\/en\/news\/wetlands-our-researchers-in-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Wetlands: our researchers in action!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Wetlands occupy about 10 percent of Quebec\u2019s territory and nearly twice as many in Canada. Discover the research projects of four INRS professors related to these particular habitats: mapping, ecology, peatland exploitation and hydrology.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Les<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n


Where are Canadian wetlands located?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Marshes, swamps, bogs and surface waters. The spatial distribution of wetlands is crucial for the sustainable management and preservation of these fragile ecosystems. Professor Saeid Homayouni<\/a> collaborated with a team of researchers across North America, including some from Memorial University of Newfoundland, to generate the first nation-wide wetland map with such a high level of detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Saeid
Professor Saeid Homayouni<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

They managed to achieve a resolution of 10 metres for all of Canada, rather than the usual 30 metres. The map makes it possible to observe wetlands as small as 10 m2. Eventually, Professor Homayouni hopes to achieve accuracy better than 5 metres. \u201cIt would be interesting to have a high level of detail for targeted areas. It would make it possible to study several parameters such as land cover by vegetation, water or rocks,\u201d says the remote sensing and environmental geomatics researcher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The map of Canada even indicates the type of wetlands. To classify them, the research team took advantage of the available baseline data. \u201cWe used the information gathered by the field researchers. They identify which areas correspond to which wetland types. This information served as a learning base for the algorithm. We could then ask them to find similar types in the satellite images,\u201d explains Saeid Homayouni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Marais,
The first nationwide map of Canadian wetlands with 10 m resolution<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Their mapping approach uses two types of satellite data. The \u201coptical\u201d data is effective in identifying wetland classes, but clouds and shading affect the quality of the images. The \u201cradar\u201d data are not sensitive to brightness or clouds. On the other hand, spurious signals (noise) can be superimposed on the signal of interest, making analysis more complex. Both sources have interesting characteristics and the combination compensates for the disadvantages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The large amount of data requires a lot of computing power. To speed up the process, the team is exploiting cloud computing, which consists of a series of super-powered computers working in parallel. \u201cYou can go from weeks on one computer to just a few hours,\u201d says Homayouni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The researchers are now working with partners across the country to obtain more accurate baseline data. This will help identify important sites for high-resolution mapping. The map is based on data from 2016 to 2018, but could be updated annually. \u201cWetlands are showcases of climate change, so we need to be able to study their dynamics over the years,\u201d says Professor Homayouni. The map will soon be available to the public through Natural Resources Canada<\/a> and Ducks Unlimited Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ecological balance of aquatic ecosystems<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Val\u00e9rie
Professor Val\u00e9rie Langlois<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Buzzing mosquitoes, croaking frogs, singing birds\u2014the wetlands are alive with a multitude of sounds, and home to great diversity of species. The source of this rich variety is the abundant yet concentrated food chain. \u201cA great variety of prey is available, at all levels, within a small area. In an environment rich in nutrients and organic matter, phytoplankton and small algae proliferate. The large insect populations that lay their eggs in wetlands also provide a food source for amphibians, which are eaten by birds, and so on and so forth,\u201d explains INRS professor and researcher Val\u00e9rie Langlois<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Langlois, whose specialty is ecotoxicogenomics, is particularly interested in amphibians like frogs, for which wetlands are a critical breeding ground. \u201cIt\u2019s their love nest,\u201d she notes. \u201cThey lay their eggs in marshes, where the water is stagnant. Since frog eggs don\u2019t float, they have to attach them to something\u2014a branch, a shrub, or submerged aquatic plants.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond providing habitat for a host of species, wetlands also serve to filter both surface water and groundwater. They absorb toxins, such as pesticides and road salt, that can impact the ecosystem. The potential negative impacts of such harmful compounds are exactly what Professor Langlois\u2019s research seeks to understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, she began studying an additional contaminant, Bti, a biopesticide used in wetlands near cities and in parks to hinder the reproduction of biting insects like mosquitos and black flies. While Professor Langlois\u2019s focus is specifically on amphibians, there are potential repercussions for all wetland species. \u201cIf Bti kills certain insect larvae, that removes a level of the food chain and impoverishes the environment. On the other hand, if frogs are affected, they will no longer be able to control the population of certain insects. It\u2019s an ecological balancing act,\u201d she notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By ascertaining the harmful effects of chemicals in aquatic environments, Professor Langlois\u2019s research is helping preserve Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s wetlands and the species that depend on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The challenges of Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s peatlands<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tractors equipped with vacuums are used to harvest peat\u2014large deposits of organic material that gather in areas known as peatlands or bogs and that are used in horticulture. The generally spongy surface of these wetlands is first dried out with drainage canals, which carry water toward nearby waterways. But this water often carries sediment, which can drain off, creating problems in the ecosystem that receives it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n