معرفی
Caroline Bouchard is a Professor in the Department of Biology at Université Laval, Canada, specializing in Arctic marine ecology. Her research focuses on understanding how climate change affects zooplankton, ichthyoplankton, and fishes in Arctic seas, particularly the key species Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida). She combines multiple disciplines and knowledge systems, including Indigenous knowledge, natural sciences, and social sciences, to better predict Arctic marine ecosystem responses to climate change and support sustainable development in the Circumpolar North.
Dr. Bouchard's academic background includes:
- Ph.D. in Oceanography from Université Laval (2007-2014)
- M.Sc. in Biology from Université Laval (2005-2007)
- B.Sc. in Biology from Université du Québec à Rimouski (2001-2004)
Her research program investigates the impacts of climate change on Arctic marine ecosystems through multiple lenses: population genetics and connectivity of polar cod across the Arctic, responses to warming temperatures on fish growth and recruitment, habitat use in glacial fjords, and the species' critical role in food webs as both predator and prey. Dr. Bouchard's work emphasizes collaborative approaches with Inuit communities in Greenland and Canada, integrating traditional ecological knowledge with scientific research to document ecosystem changes and anticipate how future changes will transform lifestyles in Arctic regions.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals a research trajectory increasingly focused on interdisciplinary approaches that combine physical oceanography, biology, and social sciences to address complex questions about Arctic ecosystem resilience. Her work spans from molecular genetic analyses to large-scale ecosystem studies, with particular attention to how environmental changes affect the vulnerable early life stages of Arctic fish species.
Dr. Bouchard serves as an Associate Editor for Arctic Science journal (2021-present) and is a member of the Scientific Steering Committee of ESSAS (Ecosystem Studies of Subarctic and Arctic Seas) since 2018. She also participates in the Program Committee for the Interuniversity Doctorate in Oceanography at Université Laval.
As a mentor, Dr. Bouchard supervises graduate students including Myriam Patry (MSc candidate, 2025), whose research examines the influence of environmental conditions on zooplankton assemblages and their trophic implications for bowhead whales in West Greenland. Her collaborative approach extends to numerous international partnerships across Arctic research institutions in Canada, Greenland, the United States, and Europe.
Dr. Bouchard is actively involved with the Takuvik research program, a joint Canada-France research unit (UL/CNRS), which focuses on Arctic marine ecosystems. Her fieldwork often takes place in Greenland and Canadian Arctic waters, where she studies the interactions between physical oceanographic processes and biological communities in rapidly changing environments, with particular attention to how melting glaciers are transforming Arctic marine habitats.
