Publications
Quantifying changes in annual lichen volume for woodland caribou in Newfoundland using Landsat time series
Lichen volume, crucial for the survival of threatened Newfoundland woodland caribou, has been quantified for the first time using long-term satellite data. The study reveals that while lichen biomass is generally low across both Gros Morne National Park and Gaff Topsails, coniferous forests host the highest volumes. Notably, Gros Morne shows faster lichen recovery compared to the more disturbed Gaff Topsails, suggesting protective measures may aid caribou habitat restoration. The research used vegetation-specific models combining Landsat imagery (1984–2022) with field data from 66 plots, achieving high accuracy (R² = 0.77). These findings provide critical insights for guiding conservation strategies to support caribou recovery in Newfoundland.
Predicting carbon storage in North American maritime boreal forests under combined disturbances
A reduction of up to 13 megatonnes, or 40% of the predicted carbon storage, can occur in maritime boreal forests following disturbances like fire and moose herbivory. This finding comes from a study that combined field measurements with remotely sensed data to predict carbon stocks and identify open forest patches in Gros Morne and Terra Nova National Parks. The research highlights the significant impact of herbivory on post-disturbance forest recovery, emphasizing its role in limiting carbon storage potential. By integrating variables such as forest height and productivity, the study provides a robust framework for assessing disturbance effects and offers insights to optimize boreal forest management for enhanced carbon sequestration.
3DUNetGSFormer: A deep learning pipeline for complex wetland mapping using generative adversarial networks and Swin transformer
A groundbreaking deep learning pipeline, 3DUNetGSFormer, achieves exceptional accuracy in wetland mapping, addressing the challenge of limited training data. This novel approach combines generative adversarial networks and Swin transformers to synthetically generate high-quality wetland training data, significantly improving classification performance. The methodology demonstrates a kappa coefficient, average accuracy, and overall accuracy of 96.99%, 97.13%, and 97.39% respectively, across pilot sites in Canada, including Gros Morne National Park. By leveraging advanced convolutional neural networks and vision transformers, this study opens new avenues for high-quality wetland data generation and classification, offering a scalable solution to ecosystem monitoring in degraded or lost wetlands.
Indication of Possible Shifts in Copepod Species Composition in St. Pauls Inlet, a Fjordal Estuary Connected to the Gulf of St. Lawrence
A significant shift in copepod species composition has been observed in St. Pauls Inlet, a fjordal estuary within Gros Morne National Park, Canada. Research indicates that the abundance of Calanus finmarchicus, a large energy-rich copepod, has declined or disappeared entirely, while smaller, warm-water copepods have become more prevalent. This shift correlates with rising sea-surface temperatures in the Atlantic and may reflect broader changes in the Northwest Atlantic zooplankton community. The study analyzed data from surveys conducted in 1977/78, 2009, 2010, and 2019, revealing lower adult microcrustacean densities in recent years. Despite limited exchange with the Gulf of St. Lawrence, these changes suggest that St. Pauls Inlet could serve as an indicator of environmental shifts in coastal ecosystems.
The application of the collective impact initiative model for effective public consultation in Bonne Bay: example - ocean conservation
A novel framework, the Collective Impact Initiative (CII) model, demonstrates significant potential for enhancing public consultation and cross-sector collaboration in marine conservation efforts. This study, using the hypothetical case of Marine Protected Area (MPA) planning in Bonne Bay, Gros Morne National Park, found that the CII model effectively addresses community engagement challenges and provides a more efficient structure for natural resource conservation. The research employed focus groups, interviews, and surveys to gather stakeholder input, revealing the model's capacity to support innovative public policy development and long-lasting decision-making processes. This approach not only benefits marine ecosystems but also strengthens socio-cultural, ecological, and economic well-being in coastal communities.
Associate Editors/Corédacteurs
Moose browsing significantly alters forest composition in Gros Morne National Park, reducing balsam fir growing stock by 38% and increasing spruce dominance by 32% over a century under heavy browsing pressure. The study used a forest estate model to project these impacts and evaluate restoration strategies, revealing that moose population management could boost annual allowable cut (AAC) by 21%. Planting 7,194 hectares of disturbed areas in the Park could further increase total growing stock by 22% and AAC by 12%, with combined planting and moose control offering the most efficient restoration path under high browsing conditions.
Intensive moose browsing and small-scale domestic woodcutting impacts on forest successional trajectories in Gros Morne National Park, Canada
Under heavy moose browsing, balsam fir-dominated forests in Gros Morne National Park (GMNP) face significant decline, with growing stock decreasing by 38% and spruce expansion increasing by 32% over a century compared to light browsing scenarios. The study used a forest estate model to assess these impacts and restoration strategies, revealing that reforestation through planting could recover 97% of disturbed areas in heavy browsing conditions, boosting total growing stock by 22% and annual allowable cut (AAC) by 12%. Combining planting with moose population management was identified as the most efficient approach for forest restoration under high browsing pressure. The model also estimated AAC at 120,979 m³ in light browsing scenarios—21% higher than sustainable levels under heavy browsing.
Acoustic Evidence of Hoary Bats (Lasiurus Cinereus) on Newfoundland, Canada
Rare acoustic detections confirm the presence of Hoary Bats (Lasiurus cinereus) in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland. Over 50,000 full-spectrum recordings from 94 sites between 2013 and 2019 revealed sporadic echolocation calls, supporting evidence that this species is an infrequent vagrant rather than a summer resident in western Newfoundland. The study employed extensive acoustic monitoring to document bat activity, contributing to our understanding of the species' distribution and behavior in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Boundary|Time|Surface: assessing a meeting of art and geology through an ephemeral sculptural work
An ephemeral sculptural installation, 'Boundary|Time|Surface,' highlighted the intersection of art and geology by marking the international stratotype boundary between Ordovician and Cambrian strata at Gros Morne National Park, Canada. The 150-meter fence, constructed from on-site materials in a single day during low tide, was intentionally dismantled by wave action over subsequent tidal cycles, symbolizing the transient nature of human-imposed boundaries. Time-lapse documentation and public exhibitions translated this experience into interactive media, fostering engagement with geological and sociopolitical concepts. Analysis of visitor feedback—including 418 written comments from thousands of attendees—revealed significant audience interaction with the themes of knowledge acquisition and world-views in scientific inquiry. The study demonstrates how art can effectively communicate complex geoscientific ideas to broader audiences while provoking critical reflection on boundaries, both natural and human-made.
Individual responses to novel predation risk and the emergence of a landscape of fear
A study on moose in Gros Morne National Park, Canada, revealed that while individual moose did not adjust fine-scale habitat selection to increased hunting risk over time, they did shift their home range preferences toward hunter-free areas. Researchers tracked 19 GPS-collared moose during a large-scale reduction experiment involving hunting in a previously naïve population. Contrary to predictions, moose avoided high-risk areas associated with hunters but showed no diurnal variation in avoidance and no strengthening of avoidance responses over successive years for survivors in riskier home ranges. Instead, they increasingly selected non-hunted refuge areas, suggesting that broader-scale habitat selection may reflect behavioral responses to the most significant limiting factors, such as hunting pressure, which are not apparent at finer scales.
Tracking rapid landscape change with repeated photography, Gros Morne National Park, Canada
A long-term photographic study of Gros Morne National Park, Canada, reveals that most high-risk landslide sites along Western Brook Pond remain stable, while thin-skinned landslides near Winter House Brook have persisted for over a century. The research used repeated imagery to document landscape changes—such as stone rings, coastal dynamics, and river modifications—driven primarily by natural forces like gravity, precipitation, and frost heaving rather than human activity. This non-invasive method offers valuable insights into ecological integrity, public safety, and landscape processes, with minimal cost or environmental impact.
Leisure and the Net Opportunity Cost of Travel Time in Recreation Demand Analysis: An Application to Gros Morne National Park
Research reveals that visitors to Gros Morne National Park, a remote UNESCO World Heritage Site, value recreational access with a lower opportunity cost of travel time relative to their wage rate compared to previous studies. This finding challenges conventional assumptions by endogenously estimating the fraction of hourly earnings that best represents this cost, rather than imposing it exogenously. The study employs advanced count data models accounting for zero-truncation and overdispersion, providing a nuanced understanding of consumer surplus in park visitation. By linking visitor characteristics to opportunity costs, the research offers new insights into recreational demand analysis, particularly for remote sites.
Trichomycetes from Newfoundland, including Gros Morne National Park
Research in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, has uncovered three new species of Trichomycetes fungi—Smittium colboi, Smittium georgense, and Stachylina forantipes—alongside six additional species representing new geographic records for the region. Notably, Spartiella barbata is reported in North America for the first time. The study analyzed aquatic insects from coastal sites across Newfoundland, revealing diverse fungal taxa with taxonomic significance, including detailed observations of Pennella hovassi. This work expands the known biodiversity of Trichomycetes in Atlantic Canada and provides critical insights into their ecological distribution.
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