PhD Oral Defense: Patterns and Drivers of Terrestrial Arthropod Biodiversity in Northern Canada

PhD Oral Defense of Crystal Ernst, Natural Resource Sciences

The overarching goal of this thesis was to describe patterns of terrestrial arthropod biodiversity and community structure in northern Canada, and to explore the underlying drivers and mechanisms that are responsible for these patterns. The term “biodiversity” is used here in a broad sense that includes both taxonomic (TD) and functional (FD) diversity. Ground-dwelling arthropods, especially beetles (Coleoptera), were used as model taxa, and were collected using standardized methods from twelve locations in the three northernmost ecoclimatic zones of Canada.

Everyone in the McGill community is welcome to attend a PhD oral defense. Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of our PhD candidates.