Aitor Ameztegui

Chercheur postdoctoral
Quantifying and mapping the impact of climate change on forest productivity in Eastern Canada
Université du Québec à Montréal
Department of Biological Science
141, av. du Président-Kennedy
Montréal, Québec, Canada
H2X 3Y7

Directeur: Christian Messier
Codirecteur: Dominique Gravel

Formation

  • 2013 - Ph.D. in Forest Ecology - Forest Science Center of Catalonia / Universitat de Lleida(Spain)
  • 2008 - M.Sc. Research in Forest Science - Universitat de Lleida
  • 2007 - M.Sc. in Forest Engineering - Universitat de Lleida
  • 2003 - B.Sc. in Forest Technical Engineering - Universidad de Valladolid

Brief Project Overview

Forest management all over the world has evolved slowly over the last 40 years to consider the biological and ecological complexity of forest ecosystems. Forestry is now managing this ecosystem as a whole for different ecological, social and economic services. As discussed above, however, the tools used by managers to do so are still very limited and much influenced by the idea of a static forest at equilibrium. Furthermore, natural disturbances as well as environmental, social and economic uncertainties are still little considered. The traditional approach used by forest managers, to reduce these risks and uncertainties, was to simplify the forest by managing mainly one single tree species and to eliminate or reduce as much as possible any possible threats to the target species. Ecologists and forest managers now recognize that such simple solutions to management challenges are rarely sustainable; creativity is needed in designing and implementing more diverse forest management policies for the future. In many regions, the current approach proposed is to manage the forest based on emulating the natural disturbances that have occurred in any given area (Burton et al., 2003; Long 2009). This approach is a large step forward compared to the previous approach based on simplifying the natural forests, but it still does not consider the rapidly changing environment, particularly forests at climatic ecotones.

We will use the theory and a suite of models to evaluate how different silvicultural strategies implemented both at the stand and landscape scales could better mitigate the negative impacts of the changes and uncertainties associated with climate change.

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles
  • Sánchez-Pinillos M, Coll L, De Cáceres M, Ameztegui A, The Persistence Index: a quantitative measure of the adaptive capacity of ecosystems to disturbances based on species response traits. Submitted.à
  • Martín-Alcón S, Coll L, Ameztegui A,Diversifying sub-Mediterranean pinewoods with oak species in a context of assisted migration: responses to cold and microsite conditions.. Submitted.
  • Ameztegui A, Paquette,A., Heym M, Messier,C., Gravel,D.. Shade tolerance mediates the functional trait - demography relationship in temperate and boreal forests. Submitted.
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L., Brotons, L., Ninot, JM. Past human-use rather than climate change is driving the recent upward shift of the mountain treeline in the Pyrenees. Submitted.
  • Talluto MV, Boulangeat I, Ameztegui A, Aubin I, Berteaux D, Butler A, Doyon F, Drever CR, Fortin M-J, Franceschini T, Liénard J, McKenney D, Solarik KA, Strigul N, Thuiller W, Gravel D. . Cross-scale integration of knowledge for predicting species ranges: a metamodeling framework. Submitted.
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L., Messier,C. (2015) Modelling the effect of climate-induced changes in recruitment and juvenile growth on mixed-forest dynamics: The case of montane–subalpine Pyrenean ecotones . Ecological Modelling 313:84-93.
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L. (2015) Herbivory and seedling establishment in Pyrenean forests: influence of micro- and mesohabitat factors on browsing pressure. Forest Ecology and Management 342: 103-111
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L. (2013) Unraveling the role of light and biotic interactions on seedling performance of four Pyrenean species under environmental gradients. Forest Ecology and Management 303: 25-34
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L; Benavides, R; Valladares, F; Paquette, A.' (2012) Understory light predictions in conifer-mixed forests: the role of aspect-induced variation in crown geometry and openness.'' Forest Ecology and Management 276: 52-61
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L (2011) Tree dynamics and coexistence in the montane-subalpine ecotone: the role of different light-induced strategies. Journal of Vegetation Science 22 (6):1049-1061
  • Ameztegui, A; Brotons, L; Coll, L (2010) Land-use changes as major drivers of Mountain pine (Pinus uncinata Ram.) expansion in the Pyrenees. Global Ecology and Biogeography 19(5):632-641
Thesis
  • Ameztegui, A. (2013). Forest dynamics at the montane-subalpine ecotone in the Eastern Pyrenees. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Lleida

Presentations

Global change in European mountain forests: what if subalpine species refuse to move? Montréal, Canada, 17 April 2014

  • Ameztegui A, Coll, L. The role of herbivores in seedling performance in Pyrenean forests: influence of micro- and macro-habitat factors on browsing pressure. MEDPINE 5: 5th International Conference on Mediterranean Pines. Solsona (Spain) 22-26 September 2014 (Poster)
  • Ameztegui A, Paquette A, Messier C, Gravel D. Modeling forest dynamics using tree functional traits. 8e Colloque Annuel du CEF. Montreal (Canada) 29-30 apr 2014 (Oral communication)
  • Ameztegui A Global change in European mountain forests: what if subalpine species refuse to move? . Montréal, Canada, 17 April 2014 (Invited conference)
  • Coll L, Ameztegui A. Simulating the dynamics of the Pyrenean montane-subalpine ecotone in a climate change context using the model SORTIE-ND. ClimTree: International Conference on Climate Change and Tree Responses in Central European Forests. Zürich (Switzerland) 1-5 September 2013. (Oral communication).
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L. Simulación de la dinámica de masas mixtas de coníferas del Pirineo oriental bajo diferentes escenarios climáticos. VI Spanish Forestry Congress. Vitoria (Spain) 10-14 junio 2013.
  • Pla, M; Ameztegui, A; Brotons, L; Coll, L. Análisis de procesos de colonización y densificación en zonas arboladas como indicador del cambio global a partir de aplicaciones geográficas y teledetección. VI Spanish Forestry Congress. Vitoria (Spain) 10-14 junio 2013.
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L. El papel del ganado en el reclutamiento de juveniles en bosques de montaña del Pirineo oriental: 4 años de seguimiento de una plantación experimental. VI Spanish Forestry Congress. Vitoria (Spain) 10-14 junio 2013.
  • Pla, M; Ameztegui, A; Brotons, L; Coll, L. Procesos de colonización y densificación de zonas arbóreas y matorrales como indicador del cambio global en el Parque Nacional de Aigüestortes y Estany de Sant Maurici. XV Congreso Nacional Tecnologías de Información Geográfica. Madrid (Spain) 19-21 september 2012 (Poster)
  • Coll, L; Ameztegui, A. Seedling performance and adaptation to contrasting environmental conditions: a case study in the Pyrenees. Restoring Forests: Advances in techniques and Theory. Madrid (Spain) 27-29 september 2011
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L. Tree dynamics and coexistence in the montane-subalpine ecotone: the role of different light-induced strategies.12th European Ecological Federation Congress. Avila (Spain) 25-29 september 2011
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L. Differences in light-induced strategies on the montane-subalpine ecotone of the Pyrenees.MEDPINE 4: 4th International Conference on Mediterranean Pines. Avignon (France) 6-10 june 2011
  • Ameztegui, A; Aunós, A; Serrano, L. El anillado como técnica de desvitalización de hayas en el valle de Arán (Lleida). V Spanish Forestry Congress. Ávila (Spain), 21-25 sept. 2009
  • Ameztegui, A; Coll, L. Análisis cartográfico de los procesos de colonización y densificación del pino negro en el Pirineo catalán. V Spanish Forestry Congress. Ávila (Spain), 21-25 sept. 2009 (Poster)

Scholarships & Awards

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********************************************************** ********** Colloque Foresterie Autochtone *************** **********************************************************

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Mémoire du CEF sur la consultation publique concernant la démarche de réflexion sur l’avenir de la forêt 
Mémoire du CEF sur la Stratégie d’adaptation de la gestion et de l’aménagement des forêts aux changements climatiques 
Mémoire présenté à la Commission indépendante sur les caribous forestiers et montagnards par le CEF, le CEN et le CSBQ 

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