Piotr Cienciala

Landscapes and their associated biota coevolve through complex, reciprocal interactions between physical and ecological processes. By shaping landforms through erosion and sediment deposition, earth surface processes create, modify, and disturb habitat for living organisms. In turn, plants and animals (including humans) alter their physical environment, thereby influencing these same earth surface processes. To understand how landscapes and ecosystems function, predict their responses to environmental change, and guide effective conservation and restoration, it is essential to understand these interdependent relationships.

To address this challenge, my research examines such biophysical landscape systems across spatial scales ranging from entire river basins (watersheds) to individual landforms and microhabitat patches. My work has primarily focused on the interconnections between riverine ecosystems and their associated terrestrial counterparts, collectively referred to as the “river corridor.” Importantly, it demonstrates that in mountainous landscapes, aquatic–terrestrial interactions often extend beyond riparian zones and floodplains to include adjacent hillslopes. My research also investigates the impacts of land use and climate change on these systems. A central theme of my work is applying integrated understanding of landscape systems to inform strategies and best practice that mitigate these environmental impacts and support ecosystem restoration.     

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The mountainous regions of western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest, where much of my research is conducted, offer diverse and dynamic biophysical systems for study. Streams and rivers supporting abundant fish populations, including salmon and trout, flow through forested valleys and are strongly influenced by disturbances originating on the surrounding steep hillslopes. In these landscapes, both natural and anthropogenic disturbances readily propagate through interconnected physical and ecological pathways. Shifts in disturbance regimes, such as changes in flood or wildfire frequency driven by climate change or land use (e.g., forestry or agriculture), have substantially altered these systems. Given the resulting impacts on ecosystem function and natural resources, there is a growing imperative to restore and sustainably manage these landscape systems.​