Landscape and spatial ecology with a focus on how human activity influences relationships between boreal forest species at different spatial and temporal scales. Current interests include: the generality of the source-sink concept of population dynamics; how spatial geometry affects territoriality in songbirds; role of human disturbance as conduit for ecological invasion; the development of ecological indicators for use in adaptive management.

Population ecology of boreal mammals with emphasis on the relationship between behavior and resources; parental investment and dispersal; management of boreal communities, predator-prey relationships. Current interests also include forestry-wildlife interactions in the boreal mixed woods of northeastern Alberta.

Mathematical and simulation models of ecological systems primarily at the population level for conservation and management. Population viability analysis, resource selection functions, time series, and predator-prey models. Life history evolution and sexual selection of birds and mammals.

Research in the lab addresses a diversity of fundamental questions in plant ecology. We take a broad approach to research, with interest in plant behavioural ecology, competition, plant-pollinator interactions, insect and mammalian herbivory, evolutionary and functional ecology, climate change, and mychorrhizae.

The oceans cover our planet and are filled with microbial life. Yet, these organisms and the complex interactions between them are mostly unexplored in comparison to what is known of organisms in terrestrial environments. The Case lab’s research focuses on elucidating the nature of bacterial-algal interactions and exploring how they influence the earth’s climate. Interactions between bacteria and algae occur physically when bacteria live on and in algae, but they can also occur chemically through the multitude of bioactive compounds that marine bacteria and algae produce. These compounds modulate their symbiotic partner’s behavior and survival, and in this way are able to shape marine communities. Also of interest are the chemical interactions between bacteria and algae that produce climatically important intermediates of the marine sulfur and carbon cycles. Current research in the Case laboratory focuses on elucidating interactions that exist between abundant and ubiquitous marine microorganisms, namely microalgae and roseobacters. The latter are a group of marine bacteria commonly found associated with marine eukaryotes, especially algae, as pathogens or symbionts. Specifically, our current aims are to: (1) Identify and characterize the activity of signaling and bioactive compounds produced in bacterial-algal symbiosis, and (2) Determine the role climate and climatically important compounds have on modulating these interactions These aims are addressed in both laboratory and field based studies. In the laboratory, we use model organisms to identify molecules and genes underlying specific mechanisms involved in modulating bacterial-algal interactions. We then track the molecules and genes identified through these lab-based studies in the field, correlating their abundance with natural phenomena. In the field we are interested in biofouling communities associated to man made surfaces and in the open ocean we study the bacterial community associated to algal surfaces in bloom conditions. By studying these systems in the field and the laboratory, our research team hopes to identify the role of small molecules in global processes.

Population and quantitative genetics and genomics applied to evolutionary biology, conservation and wildlife management. Recent studies have examined population structure, landscape genetics, pedigree analysis and quantitative genetics of life-history traits, and the fitness consequences of inbreeding and outbreeding in the wild.

Population and quantitative genetics and genomics applied to evolutionary biology, conservation and wildlife management. Recent studies have examined population structure, landscape genetics, pedigree analysis and quantitative genetics of life-history traits, and the fitness consequences of inbreeding and outbreeding in the wild.

Research interests focus on the ecology, conservation, and management of large Arctic and northern mammals. Research species include polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, and arctic ungulates. Current studies on limiting and regulating factors of populations, habitat use, harvest effects, population estimation, behavioural ecology, effects of climate change, population monitoring, ecotoxicology, and predator-prey relationships. Research projects are ongoing in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Manitoba, and Alberta.

Biogeochemistry, ecology and hydrology wetlands, stream and lakes with an emphasis on landscape controls. Use of upland-wetland-stream hydrogeologic linkage approach to model 1) the influence of hydrogeology and groundwater-surface water interactions on nutrient cycling, contaminant removal and ecology of riparian wetlands-streams-lakes, 2) the impact of logging and the use of riparian buffer zones on water, sediment and nutrient yields to streams and lakes, and 3) environmental controls of soil nutrient cycling.

I am broadly interested in the chemical ecology of insects and how message-bearing chemicals (semiochemicals) can be exploited in pest management systems. I approach this research from behavioural, physiological, ecological and evolutionary perspectives. My approach is process-oriented and the research can be adapted to the study of organisms in a variety of habitats. Chemical ecology lends itself to applications in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This allows for short term applied studies to be conducted within the broader context of understanding the ecology and evolution of chemically mediated interactions.

Dr. Gamon studies the "breathing of the planet" - the exchanges of carbon and water vapour between the biosphere and the atmosphere that affect ecosystem productivity and help regulate our atmosphere and climate. Of particular interest are the effects of disturbance (fires, succession, weather events and climate change) on these basic processes. Additional research questions involve the detection of plant physiology, ecosystem function, species composition, and biodiversity using non-contact sampling methods. Much of this work is done with optical monitoring (remote sensing and automated field methods), and entails the development of new monitoring methods and related informatics tools. He conducts fieldwork in a range of ecosystems from the Arctic to the Tropics.

Comparative Physiology and Aquatic Toxicology: My lab has two principle foci. The first is directed towards understanding the physiology of the fish gill, concentrating specifically on mechanisms of ion transport and acid-base regulation in the mitochondria rich cells of the gill. The second focus is directed towards understanding the mechanisms of toxicity of a variety of xenobiotic factors. These include herbicides, pesticides, pharmaceutical and personal care products, and more recently, manufactured nanomaterials. We use a combination of genomics, proteomics and cell physiology approaches to gain an understanding of the mechanisms of toxicity to these compounds.

Plant-herbivore-climate interactions in northern alpine ecosystems. Current projects are focused on population dynamics and foraging ecology of collared pikas, hoary marmots, Arctic ground squirrels and Dall sheep; responses of alpine vegetation to herbivory and climate change; and treeline landscape dynamics in the southwest Yukon.

Microbiology of extreme environments, with an emphasis on polar and icy environments and hypersaline systems.

Mathematical biology, with a focus in spatial ecology. Biological problems include modeling the process of territorial pattern formation in wolves, predicting population spread in biological invasions, calculating optimal strategies for biocontrol, and assessing the effect of habitat fragmentation on species survival. A significant part of the research involves the formulation and verification of quantitative models. Mathematical approaches include methods for dynamical systems, perturbation theory, and computational methods.

Evolution of animal body plans. My current research focuses on two areas: developmental mechanisms in basal metazoans and mechanisms of cell-cell communication in sponges. We use molecular (incl. in situ hybridization) and cell biological (EM, video and light microscopy), and physiological techniques. We also use a ROV and SCUBA to study the animals in their environment. Field work occurs at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre.

The major research focus of my lab is chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease affected deer and elk. We are using There are five major research directions: 1) role of Prnp genetics on susceptibility to prion infection, 2) CWD strains, 3) role of metals in prion infection, 4) prion disease pathogenesis and 5) development of biomarkers for prion diseases.

Research focuses on large mammals with emphasis on foraging and nutritional ecology of ungulates, plant-herbivore interactions and landscape modifications on wildlife populations. Current interest lies in linking small-scale processes to large-scale patterns in animal distribution and population dynamics.

Primary interests: functional morphology, phenotypic plasticity, evolution of development, ecology, systematics and evolution of marine invertebrates. My students and I have documented some striking examples of predator-induced effects on shell form and behavior in marine snails, diet-induced effects on claw form in shell-breaking crabs and wave-induced changes in barnacle leg lengths. I also maintain an ongoing interest in the development and evolution of biological asymmetries as a way of testing models about the evolution of animal development.

Ecology and behaviour of birds, freshwater fishes and amphibians, especially foraging behaviour, habitat use, inter- and intra-specific competition, and direct and indirect effects of predation.

My main research area comprises the ecology, evolution, systematics and behaviour of mites (Arachnida: Acari). Within this fascinating and diverse subclass there are three groups in which I am most interested: aquatic mites, soil mites, and feather mites. My theoretical research areas include the community ecology of freshwater and soil invertebrates, determinants of biodiversity, co-evolution of hosts and symbionts, and both macro- and microevolutionary aspects of sexual selection.

My research is in two main areas: population dynamics of insects, and ecology of foraging by insect parasitoids. Research emphasizes the impact of habitat structure on population processes such as fecundity, mortality and insect movement, and is aimed at understanding dynamics at the landscape (regional) level. Current projects are: 1) Effect of forest fragmentation on the dynamics of the forest tent caterpillar and its natural enemies, 2) Effect of size and isolation of alpine meadows on dynamics of butterfly populations, and 3) Effect of habitat structure on willow-gall insects (and their parasitoids) in prairie pothole communities.

Research interests include ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry and experimental ecology, with special reference to boreal, alpine and subalpine, and arctic or subarctic lakes and watersheds.

Ecology of helminth parasites. Two areas of emphasis are the tolerance of free-living stages to environmental conditions, and the interactions between larval parasites and their hosts. Current interests are field studies in Alberta of trematodes in freshwater snails and Schistocephalus tapeworms in sticklebacks, and lab studies of Hymenolepis tapeworms in Tribolium beetles.

Insect systematics with interests in molecular evolution, population genetics, biodiversity and conservation. Emphasis on speciation in swallowtail butterflies and spruce budworm moths. Also insect pest complexes, phylogeny reconstruction, taxonomy, plant-insect interactions, forensic entomology and internet-accessible faunal inventories.

Interests in behavioural ecology, evolutionary ecology and conservation biology; past work on seabird ecology; current focus on movement behaviour by birds and mammals in fragmented habitats as part of a broader program that integrates the field of behavioural ecology with conservation issues.

Whole-ecosystem Experimentation, Biogeochemical Cycling, Reservoir Impact Studies, Greenhouse Gases, Methylmercury Bioaccumulation, Limnology, Wetland Ecology, Ecotoxicology, Avian Ecology.

Plant Physiology and Functional Genomics. My research focuses on understanding the mechanisms plants use to tolerate abiotic stresses in the soil environment, such as metal toxicity and nutrient deficiency. We currently have three overlapping research directions: (1) adaptation of plants to acidic soils, focusing on the primary growth-limiting factors aluminum toxicity and phosphate deficiency; (2) regulation of trace element, particularly cadmium, accumulation and transport in plants; and (3) functional characterization of P_1B-type heavy-metal ATPase transporters in Brachypodium distachyon. We use techniques of cell and molecular biology, comparative genomics, bioinformatics, and whole-plant physiology to study how model systems (Arabidopsis, Brachypodium, yeast) and agronomically important crops (wheat, canola, rice) respond to abiotic stress at the molecular, cellular, and whole-plant levels...

My research, and that of my students, focuses on the ecology of fishes and the organisms with which they interact, in boreal and arctic lakes and streams, addressing the general question: what factors of the northern environment affect the ecology of fishes at the individual, population and community levels? Laboratory and field experiments are combined with broad-scale comparisons in studies of community organization, population dynamics and life history.

- Alpine, Arctic, and Boreal Ecology - Freshwater Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function - Cumulative Impacts of Global Change on Aquatic Ecosystems - Stress and Ecosystem Recovery - Land-Water Linkages

Biological control, ecology of invasive species, insect plant interactions.

Ecology and evolution of northern fish species with a focus on critical habitat, trophic relationships, movements, population dynamics and intra-specific diversity of harvested fish species in large river and lake systems.

Wildlife parasites and diseases: ecology, conservation, and appropriate management.

Biodiversity monitoring, avian community ecology, conservation biology, and experimental design.

My main research focus is applied ecological research and environmental impact assessment. My recent activities have focused on developing and applying alternative sampling designs, such as reference condition approaches, to detect ecological impairment, and sampling protocols capable of identifying environmental impacts of human activities. A component of my research also focuses on ecological restoration of northern streams and mitigation measures to reduce effects of human activities on amphibian communities.

Focus on the development and deployment of regional scale land use and landscape cumulative effects simulator models.

My research interests are with the population ecology of polar bears and seals in arctic marine ecosystems, the effects of climate warming on polar bears and seals, and conservation and management of polar bears, seals, and polar marine ecosystems.

Cumulative effects of human development on boreal and montane aquatic ecosystems.

The ecology, conservation and systematics of waterfowl (Anseriformes) and other migratory game birds. Most of current research focuses on the ecological relationships between waterfowl and their habitats in the Boreal Transition Zone of western Canada and the Intermountain region of British Columbia.

Ecology of birds of prey, burrowing owl conservation, habitat use by grassland birds, methods for defining critical habitat, foraging behaviour, avian reproduction, food limitation.

Ecosystem ecology, especially the biogeochemistry, ecology and management of wetlands, streams and shallow lakes. Interactions between hydrology, nutrient cycling and production in northern wetlands. Effects of fire and climate change in wetlands and shallow lakes. Restoration and management of wetland and riparian ecosystems. Management of protected areas, national parks and wetlands.

Current research has focused on the hydrodynamics of evolution of body form in aquatic insects. Hydrodynamics of aquatic insects in relation to: hydraulic regimes, microhabitat selection, evolution of body form, filter feeding, ingestion of DOM, locomotion, escape mechanisms.

Systematics, ecology and evolution of mutualistic and pathogenic relationships involving fungi and other organisms. Current research involves: 1. mycorrhizas of boreal timber species, arctic, alpine and subalpine plant communities, heath plants, temperate and tropical orchids; 2. keratinophilic fungi (primarily Onygenales and related anamorphs) associated with vertebrate animals and their habitations; 3. fossil fungi associated with plant remains from the Eocene; 4. monographic studies of Dikaryomycota of northwestern North America.

Population and behavioral ecology of northern birds and conservation biology. Research involves examining the impact of forest fragmentation on breeding and wintering bird populations; population ecology of black-capped chickadees; reproductive biology and life history patterns in ptarmigan and other birds; dispersal patterns in birds.

Current research is investigating the role of elevated carbon dioxide and ultra-violet B levels on the growth and development of boreal forest conifer species. The influence of those treatments on photosynthesis and frost hardiness is given particular emphasis.

My three areas of research interests are 1) Boreal landscape, vegetation and plant community ecology 2) Dominance, diversity, and social organization of plant communities and 3) Successional and seasonal dynamics of boreal forest communities from different habitat (site) types.

Physiological ecology of fish, particularly the role of abiotic and biotic factors in controlling feeding, growth, metabolism, and reproduction. Habitat requirements of fish, particularly in winter.

Behavioral ecology of sciurid rodents, primarily ground squirrels, specifically: social behavior and use of space, including territoriality; the role of kinship and familiarity in organizing social relationships; influences on vigilance, alarm-calling, and other aspects of anti-predator behavior; scent communication among ground squirrels; mating systems and the influence of demographic and environmental factors on mating strategies of males and females.

Influence of parasites on host distribution and abundance with current emphasis on: 1) winter ticks on moose populations, 2) meningeal worm (Nematode) and close relatives on various species of big game, and 3) impact of an expanding game ranching industry on introduction and establishment of exotic parasites/disease.

My research is focused on the use of DNA sequence variation to infer the genetic structure within, and the phylogenetic relationships between, natural populations and the application of molecular techniques to wildlife forensics. Species currently being studied in my laboratory include a variety of ungulates (bison, elk, caribou, and bighorn sheep), bears, trout, and ground squirrels. Techniques being used include DNA sequencing and cloning, DNA fingerprinting, and PCR.