Subtle Impacts of Climate Change on Lakes

Results from an innovative study on Lac Hertel

Charles Bazerghi breaking the ice cover on the Lac Hertel mesocosms

Photo: James Mager

Around the world, climate change is affecting lakes in complex ways. In temperate regions like Quebec, warmer temperatures lead to lake ice forming later in the fall. Yet, scientists know very little about how these changes affect life under the ice.

In 2018, Marie-Pier Hébert conducted a study on the Lac Hertel mesocosms* to take a closer look. To simulate the effects of climate change, the team of researchers broke the ice forming on the water surface daily at the beginning of winter. Their recently published results show that many changes occur in the aquatic food webs when ice forms later. The researchers observed changes not only during that winter, but also in the following spring. In these modified food webs, some species emerged as winners benefiting from this delayed ice formation, whereas others did not.

* Mesocosms are barrels that contain several hundred litres of lake water for research purposes.

A Natural Snowshoer

Increasingly rare in the valley, ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) can be spotted in the foothills of the mountain.
Photo: Daniel Jauvin

Let’s wish the ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) a winter with plenty of soft, steady snow. Well adapted to winter weather, this gallinaceous bird has appendages on each side of its toes that are believed to serve as snowshoes. The ruffed grouse is partial to deciduous and mixed forests, and when the snow cover is heavy and fluffy, it can easily travel from one end of its multi-hectare territory to the other in search of trembling aspen, birch, ironwood and willow. It can also burrow into the snow, creating quite a stir when it flies noisily out of its hiding place with its tail flared open. Often mistaken for a partridge, the ruffed grouse has the body of a small hen, spotted and striped plumage ranging from grey to rust in colour and a distinctive dark-tipped striped tail.

By Johanne Ménard from the Société d’ornithologie de la Vallée du Richelieu. To learn more about the SOVDR and become a member: sovdr.org. (This text appeared in issue 2 of Nature sauvage.)

Blast from the Past

1913-1958

Andrew Hamilton Gault, stalwart defender of the mountain

Photo: McGill University

In 1913, the Campbell family sold a portion of their property to Andrew Hamilton Gault, who was just 28 at the time. He already had an emotional attachment to the mountain, since he had spent many happy days playing there as a child with one of the family’s sons.

A Montreal businessman, Canadian Army officer, politician and accomplished athlete, Andrew Gault lived much of his life overseas. When he retired, he spent up to nine months on the mountain every year in a cottage near Lac Hertel with his wife. In 1957, he began construction on the Gault House. Sadly, he would only be able to spend a few weeks there before his death in 1958. For 45 years, however, Andrew H. Gault steadfastly protected the natural environment of his estate from mining and logging operations.

In memory of his father a former governor of McGill, Andrew H. Gault chose to bequeath his estate to the university to be protected for future generations.

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About our Blast from the Past

As owner and guardian of the Gault Nature Reserve, we plan to celebrate the university’s bicentennial by publishing a monthly photo in InfoGault. Each photo will capture a moment from the history of this beautiful site.