Dr. Merritt Turetsky
Canada Research Chair, University of Guelph, Department of Integrative Biology
“A permafrost nation: how Canadian land influences global climate”
Dr. Turetsky conducts fundamental ecological research that also is of interest to stakeholders in the north. Northerners are experiencing the most rapid climate change on the planet, and Dr. Turetsky’s research is helping to address what these rapid changes mean for their land, traditional foods and the quality of their water. Her research often links ecosystem services and carbon cycle science to water and food security. For example, permafrost thaw affects land stability and water quality, and influences both the use of and access to land and water resources. Dr. Turetsky is using a number of approaches to help build capacity in northern communities to better adjust to these climatic and landscape changes.
Dr. Turetsky is a key member of several international science programs focusing on arctic and boreal regions. She serves as the Canadian university liaison to NASA’s Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) and is a founding member of the Permafrost Carbon Network, which currently has more than 350 members representing 24 countries. From these experiences, it is clear that issues affecting northern regions are not only of interest to arctic countries, but are gaining traction around the world.
Twitter: @queenofpeat