Associate Dean (Student Affairs);
|
Degrees
BSc Biology, University of Victoria
MSc Ecology, University of Victoria
PhD Botany and Soil Science, University of Alberta
Awards and Recognitions
George and Frances Tomlinson Chair in Forest Ecology
Research Interests
The values that ecosystems provide humanity emerge from the relationships between the plants, animals and microorganisms and the soil that supports them and the ways in which these relationships response to climate, disturbance and human activity. These relationships and responses influence which species survive and which don’t, how productive an ecosystem is, how much of the produced organic matter and the nutrients it contains are returned to the soil each year, what useable materials can be harvested, the scenic beauty of the land and how fast the ecosystem responds to change. My research interests revolve around understanding the important system relationships that influence some of the aspects of ecosystems that are particularly valued by humans: forest productivity, threatened bird species, Lyme disease carriers, and tree-killing invasive species such as the Emerald Ash Borer.
Current Research
Modelling carbon dynamics in boreal black spruce forests; Mosquito diversity in suburban forest habitats; The tick-Lyme disease system in the Morgan Arboretum