IDENT-Montreal was the first site, established in 2009, of a large network of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning experiments, where questions related to biodiversity, intraspecific trait variation, complementarity, and environmental stresses are studied. Over 13,824 trees from 19 different species have been planted in 216 plots.
Two gradients were established: a species richness gradient (number of species) and a functional diversity gradient (species traits related to their fundamental strategies).
Since then, seven other experiments have been installed around the world, for a total of almost 130,000 trees! Numerous students have been trained at all levels (interns, masters, doctorate, post-doctorate).
Since the installation in Montreal, the IDENT network (International Diversity Experiment Network with Trees) has expanded to 9 experimental sites around the world (Canada, United States, Germany, Italy, and Ethiopia), with representation in temperate, Mediterranean, and tropical ecoregions.
As the research in IDENT focuses on the early stages of forest stand development, the trees are planted 40 to 60 cm apart to encourage interactions between them.
These experiments examine biodiversity-related questions, such as the effect of species mixing on productivity, complementarity, and environmental stress, with the aim of increasing forest resilience. The goal of IDENT is also to translate this knowledge into relevant guidelines for forest and plantation management, as well as for conservation efforts. With climate change and the resulting loss of biodiversity, identifying the impacts of biodiversity and ecosystem services on human well-being is evermore pressing.
IDENT is also part of the larger international tree diversity experiment network, TreeDivNet. The goal is to create a multidisciplinary research network and enhance global expertise on the relationship between tree diversity and ecosystem functioning. For more information, visit the TreeDivNet.
IDENT-Cité is a site established in Montreal's Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough in the spring of 2015 at Stanley Park. The design allows visitors to follow a diversity gradient along a double spiral, using functional groups (species with similar traits). Maximum diversity is reached at the center. Thus, IDENT-Cité serves as an educational platform on the importance of trees and diversity in urban environments.
Discovery activities are organized, and information panels have been installed. All trees are identified with their characteristics, and a mobile app is available to locate them. This installation is part of a broader city effort to develop this park as a place for environmental education and access to nature.
IDENT-Cité is also a demonstration arboretum, where several species and cultivars adapted to urban conditions, but less well-known, are presented to citizens to help guide their choices.
