Associate ProfessorT: 514-398-7952听 |听听Email听 |听 Macdonald-Stewart Building, MS2-067A听 |听 |
Degrees
B.Sc.A. Forestry (Universit茅 Laval)
PhD Forest Ecology (Universit茅 Laval)
Short Bio
Beno卯t C么t茅's interest for the forest goes back to his childhood when he would spend his summer vacations at the family cabin in the boreal forest of Quebec. He has fond memories of his interactions with woodsmen that were spending weeks away from their family in remote forest camps. He learned to fish on rivers and lakes covered with wood logs destined for pulp and paper mills. The mosaic of forests left after harvesting was basically his backyard for years. This provided him with a unique opportunity to learn about the complex interactions between wildlife and their habitat and experience first-hand forest dynamics and diversity. His hands-on training came in handy for his studies to become a forest engineer and then for his graduate studies in Canada and the USA. Some 50 years later after his first steps in woods, he is still as curious as he was in his tender years about forest ecosystems. His backyard is even bigger now but the inquiry process remains the same. The questions keep changing but most address the issue of sustainability relating to the maintenance of soil fertility and tree/forest nutrition.
Research Interests
Effects of anthropogenic (human) factors e.g. global climate change, acid rain, forest management on forest nutrition.
Current Research
Professor C么t茅 is currently investigating the potential role of plant silicates on physiological processes associated with shade tolerance, carbon sequestration and alleviation of aluminum and manganese toxicity in trees. He鈥檚 also conducting research to assess the potential of forests to store carbon and contribute to the decarbonisation of the construction sector by replacing steel and concrete with very energy efficient wood structure in new buildings.
Courses
Publications
View a list of current publications
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