David Rivest

Professor of Soil Ecology and Agroforestry

David.Rivest@uqo.ca mail_outline
819-595-3900 poste 2937

Research themes

Agroforestry, plant-soil interactions, plant-plant interactions, soil ecology and conservation, applied forest ecology, plant nutrition, afforestation

Education

• 2012-2013 : Postdoctoral research in ecology – Université du Québec à Montréal
• 2010-2011 : Postdoctorate in ecology – Universidad de Extremadura (Spain)
• 2004-2008 : PhD in plant biology – Université Laval
• 2001-2004 : Master of Science – Agroforestry – Université Laval
• 1997-2001 : Bachelor of Science – Planning and Forest Environment – Université Laval

Description of research

My laboratory is interested in plant-soil and plant-plant interactions in a changing environment. These interactions are examined in the biophysical context of the temperate forest and different temperate agroforestry systems. Our research is based largely on field experiments. We are specifically interested in the effects of global changes (eg, climate change, land-use change, chronic atmospheric nitrogen deposition), intensive silvicultural practices (eg, planting, ash application in forests), agroforestry systems (eg, intercropped agroforestry systems, shelterbelts, silvopastoral systems) and the restoration of soil on mining sites on biodiversity, soil biochemical properties, and aerial and underground growth of forest plants. Our mission is to develop fundamental and applied knowledge that will better guide producers, practitioners and policy makers in the development of forest practices, agroforestry and ecological restoration practices that are environmentally friendly and socially acceptable.

• add removeKey publications
  • Martin-Guay, M.O., Paquette, A.,  Dupras, J. & Rivest, D. 2018. The new Green Revolution: Sustainable intensification of agriculture by intercropping. Science of the Total Environment 615 : 667-772.
  • Rivest, D., Paquette, A., Shipley, B., Reich, P.B. & Messier, C. 2015. Tree communities rapidly alter soil microbial resistance and resilience to drought. Functional Ecology 29 : 570-578.
  • Rivest, D., Paquette, A., Moreno, G. & Messier, C. 2013. A meta-analysis reveals mostly neutral influence of scattered trees on pasture yield along with some contrasted effects depending on functional groups and rainfall conditions. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 165 : 74-79.
  • Rolo, V., Rivest, D., Lorente, M., Kattge, J. & Moreno, G. 2016. Taxonomic and functional diversity in Mediterranean pastures: insights on the biodiversity–productivity trade‐off. Journal of Applied Ecology 53 : 1575-1584.
  • Royer-Tardif, S., Paquette, A., Messier, C., Bournival, P. & Rivest, D. 2018. Fast-growing hybrids do not decrease understorey plant diversity compared to naturally regenerated forests and native plantations. Biodiversity and Conservation 27 : 607-631.
• add removeProjects

  The following is a list of major recent and current projects in my laboratory:

  Relationship between tree diversity, atmospheric nitrogen deposition and soil ecological functions. Funded by NSERC-Discovery (individual project).

  Impact of agroforestry systems on the stability of maize and soybean yields under reduced rainfall. Funded by MAPAQ’s Prime-Vert Program (Component 4 – Agroforestry – Adaptation to Climate Change).

  Development of intercropping agroforestry systems: evaluation of crop yield and soil quality through a network of eight pilot sites. Funded by MAPAQ’s Innov’Action program (D. Rivest, A. Cogliastro and A. Vanasse).

  Creation of a large carbon sink in the Chaudière-Appalaches region through soil restoration and afforestation of old asbestos mines. Funded by the FRQNT’s Partnership Program to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (N. Bélanger, D. Ivest, J. Dupras, E. Larose-Filotas, W. Bouachir).

  Assessment of the ecological impacts of even-aged and uneven-aged management in deciduous temperate forests. Funded by NSERC-RDC (Messier C, Buddle CM, P Nolet, Dupuch A, Rivest D, Larocque M, Smith MAS, Y Surget-Groba), in collaboration with Kenauk Canada and Conservation Nature Canada.

  Forest Adapt: for the development of silviculture promoting adaptation of the forests of the Haut-St-Laurent valley to global changes. Funded by NSERC-DRC (F. Doyon, A. Aubin, A. Cogliastro, A. Dupuch, F. Girard, D. Houle, F. Lorenzetti, C. Messier, P. Nolet, D. Rivest), in collaboration with the Coop des Frontières and Ouranos.

  Do soil fertility and grazing interact to affect the growth and biodiversity of maple groves? Funded by NSERC-DRC (A. Dupuch, D. Rivest, F. Lorenzetti C., Messier, N. Bélanger and R. Ouimet), in collaboration with Domtar

  Impact of forest plantations of exotic species on biodiversity. Funded by NSERC-DRC (D. Rivest, A. Paquette, A. Dupuch, F. Lorenzetti, C. Messier and S. Royer-Tardif – postdoc), in collaboration with Resolute Forest Products.

  Greenhouse gas emissions from soils following the application of ash in maple stands. Funded by NSERC-DRC (D. Rivest, J. Whalen and S. Royer-Tardif, Postdoctoral fellow) in collaboration with Domtar.

  
• add removeStudents and postdoctoral fellows

  Étudiants actuels

  Doctorat

  • Marie-Ève Roy
  • Geneviève Gagné

  Maîtrise

  • Jolaine Arseneau
  • Romain Jaeger

  Étudiants diplômés

  Maîtrise

  • 2016-2018 Eva Masson
  • 2015-2018 Maxime Carrier
  • 2015-2017 Maxime Rivest
• add removeAvailable projects  (coming soon)