Associate Professor
Sustainable Environmental Management Program Coordinator
Credentials
PhD, Dalhousie University
MSc, Dalhousie University
BSc (Honours), McMaster University
Research Keywords
Arctic Ecosystems; Food Web Ecology; Wildlife Conservation; Resource Management; Animal Physiology.
Research Keywords
I supervise students in the graduate programs in MES (Environmental Studies), PhD (Environmental Studies), MSc (Biology), PhD (Biology).
Contact Information
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3
416 736 2100
Research Interests
My research focuses on the foraging ecology and conservation of Arctic carnivores. By examining the trophic relationships between top predators and their prey, we can define the structure of food webs and monitor changes in ecosystems over time. By understanding where, when, and how predators hunt for food, we can better act to protect wildlife populations and entire ecosystems.
Much of my research involves the use of biochemical tracers to examine the diets of carnivores. Naturally occurring tracers, such as fatty acids and stable isotopes, can reveal individual dietary habits that influence population-level processes. We also use satellite tracking technology to study animal movements and space-use strategies. Our work involves collaboration with federal, provincial, and territorial government agencies and partnership with northern Indigenous communities.
Long-term climate warming is having rapid and widespread effects on northern ecosystems. This in turn is altering the relationships between northern Indigenous communities and the wildlife populations they utilize. Our research aims to help predict how wildlife populations will change in the future and how these changes will impact the lives of people in the North. EUC is uniquely positioned to examine the complex ecological, social, and economic changes that will result from a warming Arctic environment.
Research Projects
Research Output
Courses
Course Code | Title |
---|---|
ENVS 2420 | Ecology and Conservation Science |
ENVS 4447 | Northern Ecosystems: A Natural History of Arctic Regions |
ENVS 5112 | Ecology in Environmental Studies |