Diversity of vertebrate communities in small wetland habitats in northern Quebec

PhD Project of Mariano Feldman

Directors: Louis Imbeau (UQAT-FIR), Nicole Fenton (UQAT-FIR) and Marc Mazerolle (Laval University)
Collaborators: Marcel Darveau (Ducks Unlimited Canada) and Philippe Marchand (UQAT-FIR)

Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss due to anthropogenic activities are amongst the major current drivers of biodiversity change in remote areas. In the boreal region of Canada, the Hudson and James Bay lowlands, which comprise a vast area in Northern Quebec, are one of the largest area of wetlands in the world. In these landscapes, wetlands containing small ponds are essential for certain groups of vertebrates, who preferentially select these habitats for resting, reproduction, and breeding. The aim of this project is to assess the value of different types of small wetlands (peatlands and beaver ponds) for the community of amphibians, birds, and mammals.

Fieldwork takes place in areas surrounding three mine sites (Casa Berardi, Whabouchi and Renard) in 2018 and 2019 from May to August. For the first year, 50 small ponds equitably distributed by their types were selected in the three mine sites. The selected ponds were sampled for seven consecutive days during two visits per year. Acoustic recordings made at dusk are used to identify amphibian species present. In addition, counts of egg masses and adults at the edge of ponds will be used to estimate abundance. For birds, the presence and diversity of species will be determined using acoustic recordings at dawn and by camera for more discrete species (ducks). Moreover, for mammals, camera traps baited with scent lures are used to detect the species composition and relative abundance of mammals in pond perimeters.

The results of this project will provide a better understanding of the ecological value of small ponds and wetlands by identifying areas of high biodiversity (hotspots) in northern Quebec. This will contribute in particular to the ecological classification of the wetlands of James Bay. This information can then be integrated into decision-making processes in order to limit impacts on vertebrates and elaborate appropriate management and planning measures for future project development. The mining activity involved throughout this northern region will benefit from the study results, as it is less costly to avoid impacts rather than to mitigate or compensate them.