My research concerns the study of mechanisms controlling the biogeochemistry of elements in terrestrial ecosystems at different spatial scales, including the landscape, watershed and soil-plant interface. In this context, my work focuses on three themes.

The first concerns the process underlying the temporal dynamics and spatial variability of the biogeochemical cycles of major elements such as basic cations and carbon. This knowledge is essential to understanding the disturbances observed in elementary cycles in response to environmental and climate change.

The second research theme concerns the fine interactions between the soil, roots and micro-organisms in the rhizosphere. This pedological microenvironment plays a critical role in speciation, bioavailability and the absorption of trace elements like cadmium and lead, by plants. Clarifying these interactions contributes to the development of new approaches for bioremediation of contaminated soil, among other benefits.

Lastly, a third theme concentrates on the study of pedogenesis, pedodisturbances and their impact on the redistribution of matter in soil profiles. An understanding of the factors underlying the spatial dynamics of soil components and properties is valuable for interpreting signals in sediments from archaeological sites.

2019

• Fontana M, Collin A, Courchesne F, Labrecque M and Bélanger N. Soumis juin 2019. Root system architecture of Salix miyabeana SX67 and relationships with aboveground biomass yield. BioEnergy Research.
• Courchesne F, Chapdelaine C et Munro L. 2019. The origin of smectite in the soil of the Kruger 2 archaeological site, Brompton (Québec), Canada. Geoarchaeology, 1-14.
• Munro L and Courchesne F. 2019. Bioconcentration of Cd and Zn in the soils of an uncontaminated forest in the Quebec Laurentians. Biogeochemistry, 143: 293-312.
• Marty C, Houle D, Courchesne F and Gagnon C. 2019. Soil C:N ratio is the main driver of soilδ¹⁵N in cold and N-limited eastern Canadian forests. Catena, 172: 285-294.
• Corti G, Agnelli A, Cocco S, Cardelli V, Masse J and Courchesne F. 2019. Soil impacts throughfall and stemflow fluxes under Turkey oak trees (Quercus cerris L.). Geoderma, 333: 43-56.
• Courchesne F. 2019. Les Podzols. p. 222 In : La Terre. R. Tremblay (ed.), Pointe-à-Callière et les Éditions de l’Homme, Montréal.

2018

• Augustin F, Houle D and Courchesne F. 2018. An approach at estimating present day base cation weathering rates: A case study for the Hermine watershed, Canada. Biogeochemistry, 140: 127-144.
• Lamalice A, Haillot D, Lamontagne MA, Herrmann T, Gibout S, Blangy S, Martin JL, Coxam V, Arsenault J, Munro L et Courchesne F. 2018. Building food and energy security in the Canadian Arctic through community greenhouses. Écoscience, DOI: 10.1080/ 11956860.2018.1493260.
• Corti G, Agnelli A, Cocco S, Cardelli V, Masse J and Courchesne F. 2018. Data on soil physicochemical properties and chemical composition of rainfall and of throughfall and stemflow generated by Turkey oak trees (Quercus cerris L.) in acid and sub-alkaline soils. Geoderma Data in Brief, 20: 954-956.
• Courchesne F, Chapdelaine C et Arsenault J. 2018. Des foyers destructurés au site Droulers. P. 81-98 In Droulers-Tsiionhiakwatha : chef-lieu iroquoien de Saint-Anicet à la fin du XVe siècle, C Chapdelaine (ed.), Collection Paléo-Québec 38, Recherches amérindiennes au Québec, Montréal.

2017

• Cocco S, Barucchi VC, Negri A, Giovannotti M, Splendiani A, Fioravanti T, Albertini D, Cardelli V, Courchesne F and Corti G. 2017. Opening a window on the past: Paleo-horizons across Pleistocene and Holocene. Madonna Delle Grotta, Praia a Mare, Southern Italy. Environmental Quality, 25: 33-38.
• Fontana M, Labrecque M, Messier C, Courchesne F and Bélanger N. 2017. Quantifying the effects of soil and climate on aboveground biomass production of Salix Miyabeana SX67 in Quebec. New Forests, 10: 1-19.
• Allegrezza M, Cocco S, Pesaresi S, Courchesne F and Corti G. 2017. Effect of snowpack management on grassland biodiversity and soil properties at a ski-resort in the Mediterranean basin (Central Italy). Plant Biosystems, 5: 760-770.
• Marty C, Houle D, Gagnon, C and Courchesne F. 2017. The relationships of soil nitrogen concentrations, C:N ratios and N stocks with climate, vegetation types and nitrate deposition in temperate and boreal forest of eastern Canada. Catena, 152: 163-172.
• Courchesne F, Turmel MC, Cloutier-Hurteau B, Tremblay G, Munro L and Labrecque M. 2017.Soil trace element changes during a phytoremediation trial with willows in southern Québec, Canada. International Journal of Phytoremediation, 19: 632-642.
• Courchesne F, Turmel MC, Cloutier-Hurteau B, Constantineau S, Munro L and Labrecque M.2017. Phytoextraction of soil trace elements by willow during a phytoremediation trial in southern Québec, Canada. International Journal of Phytoremediation, 19: 545-554.
• Agnelli A, Cocco S, Massaccesi L, Courchesne F, Ugolini FC and Corti G. 2017. Features of skeleton water-extractable fines from different acidic soils. Geoderma, 289: 82-96.

2016

• Fontana M, Lafleur B, Labrecque M, Courchesne F and Bélanger N. 2016. Maximum annual potential yields of Salix miyabeana SX67 in southern Quebec and effects of coppicing and stool age. BioEnergy Research, 9: 1109-1125.
• Augustin, F, Houle D, Gagnon C and Courchesne, F. 2016. Evaluation of three methods for estimating the weathering rates of base cations in forested catchments. Catena, 144:1-10.
• Agnelli A, Massaccesi L, De Feudis M, Cocco S, Courchesne F and Corti G. 2016. Holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) rhizosphere affects limestone-derived soil under a multi-centennial forest. Plant & Soil, 400: 297-314.
• Courchesne F et Munro L. 2016. Pédologie du site Kruger 2 de Brompton. p. 236-242 In :Intervention archéologique sur le site Kruger 2 (BiEx-23) de Brompton, É Graillon et C Chapdelaine (ed.), Musée de la Nature et des sciences de Sherbrooke.

2015

• Bell TH, Cloutier-Hurteau B, Al-Otaibi F, Turmel MC, Yergeau E, Courchesne F and St-ArnaudM. 2015. Identity and specificity of pioneer fungi in the rhizosphere are linked to willow growth and function during initial site restoration. Environmental Microbiology, 17: 3025-3038.
• Courchesne F, Turmel MC and Chapdelaine C. 2015. Chemical and mineralogical signatures of archaeological features in the soils of the Mailhot-Curran Iroquoian site, Saint-Anicet, Québec, Canada. Geoarcheology, 30: 414-429.
• Augustin F, Houle D, Gagnon C and Courchesne, F. 2015. Long-term mineral weathering in forested catchments of the Canadian Shield, Québec. Geoderma, 248: 12-23.
• Augustin F, Houle D, Gagnon C, Couture S and Courchesne, F. 2015. Partitioning the impact of environmental factors on lake concentrations and catchment budgets for base cations in forested ecosystems. Applied Geochemistry, 53: 1-12.
• Chapdelaine C, Graillon É, Courchesne F, Turmel MC, Forget Brisson L, Hardy F, Lamothe M et Burke A. 2015. Cascades 5, une composante de la tradition de l’Archaïque du Golfe du Maine à East Angus, Estrie, Québec. p. 93-126 In : Cascades 5, un site de l’Archaïque ancien à East Angus, Estrie, Québec, C Chapdelaine (ed.), Collection Paléo-Québec XLV,Recherches amérindiennes au Québec, Montréal.
• Turmel MC, Courchesne F et Chapdelaine C. 2015. Contribution de la pédologie à la caractérisation de la signature chimique et minéralogique de structures archéologiques au site iroquoien Mailhot-Curran. p. 83-106 In : Mailhot-Curran: un village iroquoien du XVI^e siècle, C Chapdelaine (ed.), Collection Paléo-Québec 35,Recherches amérindiennes au Québec, Montréal.

2014

• Cloutier-Hurteau B, Turmel MC, Mercier C and Courchesne, F. 2014. The sequestration of trace elements by willow (Salix purpurea) - which soil properties favor uptake and accumulation? Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 21: 4759-4771.

2013

• Cloutier-Hurteau B, Gauthier S, Turmel MC, Comtois P, and Courchesne, F. 2013. Trace elements in the pollen of Ambrosia artemisiifolia: What is the effect of soil concentrations? Chemosphere, 95: 541-549.
• Chen CC, Beauregard, F., Côté, B., Bélanger, N., Courchesne, F., and Hendershot, H. 2013.Partitioning of the source of leaf calcium of American beech and sugar maple using leaf Ca/Sr ratios: a predominantly surficial but variable depth Ca uptake. Plant & Soil, 373: 229-242.

2012

• Brecciaroli, G., Cocco, S., Agnelli, A., Courchesne, F. and Corti, G. 2012. From rainfall to throughfall in a maritime vineyard. Science of the Total Environment, 438: 174-188.
• Bélanger, N., Holmden, C., Courchesne, F., Côté, B., and Hendershot, WH. 2012. Constraining soil mineral weathering 87Sr/86Sr for calcium apportionment studies of a deciduous forest growing on soils derived from complex petrogenetics. Geoderma, 185-186: 84-96.
• Kerr JG, Eimers MC, Creed, IF, Adams MB, Beall F, Burns D, Campbell JL, Christopher, SF, Clair, TA, Courchesne F, Duchesne L, Fernandez I, Houle D, Jeffries DS, Likens GE, Mitchell MJ, Shanley J and Yao H. 2012. The effect of seasonal drying on sulphate dynamics in streams across southeastern Canada and northeastern USA. Biogeochemistry, 111: 393-409.
• Courchesne, F., Masse J. et Girard, M. 2012 The burial of Early Paleoindian artefacts in the Podzols of the Cliche-Rancourt site, Québec. p. 164-181 In: Late Pleistocene Archaeology & Ecology in the Far Northeast. C. Chapdelaine (ed.), Texas A&M University Press.

2011

• Ali, G, Roy, A.G., Turmel, M.-C., L’Heureux , C. and Courchesne, F. 2011. Linking spatial patterns of perched groundwater storage and stormflow generation processes in a headwater forested catchment. Hydrological Processes 25: 3843-3857.
• Cloutier-Hurteau,B., Sauvé, S. and Courchesne, F. 2011. Predicting Al, Cu and Zn concentrations in the fine roots of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) using bulk and rhizosphere soil properties. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 41: 1267-1279.
• Turmel, M.-C., Courchesne, F. and Cloutier-Hurteau, B. 2011. Microbial activity and water-soluble trace element species in the rhizosphere of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. USU-perigree). Journal of Envrironmental Monitoring, 13: 1059-1072.
• Mitchell M, G Lovett, S Bailey, F Beall, D Burns, D Buso, TA Clair, F Courchesne, L Duchesne, C Eimers, D Jeffries, S Kahl, G Likens, P Murdoch, C Roers, D Schwede, J Shanley, K Weathers and R Vet. 2011. Comparisons of Watershed Sulfur Budgets in Southeast Canada and Northeast US:  New Approaches and Implications. Biogeochemistry, 103: 181-207.

2010

• Ali, G, Roy, A.G., Turmel, M.-C. and Courchesne, F. 2010. Source-to-Stream Connectivity Assessment through end-member mixing analysis. Journal of Hydrology, 392: 119-135.
• Ali, G, Roy, A.G., Turmel, M.-C. and Courchesne, F. 2010. Multivariate Analysis as a Tool to Infer Hydrologic Response Types and Controlling Variables in a Humid Temperate Catchment. Hydrological Processes. 24: 2912-2923.
• Cloutier-Hurteau, B., Sauvé, S. and Courchesne, F. 2010. Al & Zn speciation in the Rhizosphere of Forest Soils. Journal of Envrironmental Monitoring, 12: 1274-1286.
• Masse, J., Girard, M. et Courchesne, F. 2010. L’enfouissement en profondeur des témoins culturels dans les sols du site Paléoindien ancien de Cliche-Rancourt, Québec. p. 129-154 In: De l’archéologie analytique à l’archéologie sociale. B. Lowen, C. Chapdelaine, et A. Burke (eds.), Collection Paléo-Québec 34, Recherches amérindiennes au Québec,Montréal.