Quebec, Canada

In polar cold winter or wet hot summer, the Bay of Rimouski landscape fascinates scientists and the curious alike. No boat needed, anyone can walk in the meadow at low tide and witness its richness and complexity.

The St. Lawrence Marine Estuary Observatory joined the Marine GEO network in 2023, in partnership with Université du Québec à Rimouski & Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER-UQAR). The study site is located in the 2.4 km by 3.6 km Bay of Rimouski (Qc, Canada) on the southern shore of the St. Lawrence marine estuary, bordered by the Rimouski River. The intertidal zone is dominated by a large, non-continuous meadow of eelgrass (Zostera marina), which covers more than 25% of the bay. The site also encompasses salt marshes and few kelp beds. The bay is an important feeding site for avian fauna, bordering the Rimouski urban area (population 50,000). Located at the limit between boreal and subarctic regions, the ecosystem dynamic is characterized by the seasonal cycle of ice cover and a limited optimal period for primary productivity. The presence of sea ice scouring on shore is a strong driver of seascape fragmentation.

Close to an active pole in marine sciences, Rimouski eelgrass meadows are regular study areas for a number of projects targeting phenology, biodiversity & ecosystem functioning, and functional ecology. Since 2020, we now provide high-resolution monitoring of eelgrass ecology (individual and community-scale measurements) and environmental parameters (temperature, light, tidal range, salinity.) during the ice-free season. This monitoring is carried out in partnership with regional non-profit associations (ZIP Committees) and serves as a pilot to establish ecological status index in nordic eelgrass ecosystems.

MarineGEO Team

  • Principal Investigator: Fanny Noisette
  • Marie-Pomme Presne-Poissant
  • Eve Tremblay-Morel

Participating Institutions

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