Research summary
Northern wetlands are vital to Indigenous communities in Canada, providing clean water, food and cultural value—but they are increasingly threatened by climate change and human activity. As these disturbances accumulate, they degrade biodiversity and water quality, putting ecosystem health and community well-being at risk. As Canada Research Chair in Ecosystem Science, Dr. Felix Nwaishi is studying how multiple stressors affect the resilience of peatlands in boreal and sub-Arctic regions.
He and his research team are integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge with scientific data to understand how ecosystems respond to combined climate and industrial pressures. Using artificial intelligence to merge Indigenous and scientific perspectives, they are developing tools to predict ecosystem change and inform culturally grounded, evidence-based conservation strategies. This innovative approach will support more effective, community-centred wetland management in Canada’s north.