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Meet the Team
Get to know our team by clicking on their photos below.
Photo: Tom Bird
Research Interests:
Environmental variability, physiological tolerance, and biodiversity in an era of global change
The global redistribution of species is leading to large-scale community change. Gaining a process-based understanding for what factors create species and community resilience under environmental variability is an important research objective for our time.
My research aims to address this theme by linking physiological thresholds of organisms to the environment they experience to quantify changes in species distributions, the outcome of species interactions, and community patterns. My approach is to link spatial and temporal trends in abiotic variables at biologically relevant scales using standardized experimental protocols, complementary laboratory and field approaches, meta-analytic approaches, and modern statistical tools.
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Amanda Bates (she/her)
Professsor, University of Victoria
Impact Chair in Ocean Ecosystem Change and Conservation
Research Interests:
Environmental variability, physiological tolerance, and biodiversity in an era of global change
The global redistribution of species is leading to large-scale community change. Gaining a process-based understanding for what factors create species and community resilience under environmental variability is an important research objective for our time.
My research aims to address this theme by linking physiological thresholds of organisms to the environment they experience to quantify changes in species distributions, the outcome of species interactions, and community patterns. My approach is to link spatial and temporal trends in abiotic variables at biologically relevant scales using standardized experimental protocols, complementary laboratory and field approaches, meta-analytic approaches, and modern statistical tools.
Impact Chair in Ocean Ecosystem Change and Conservation
Research Interests:
Environmental variability, physiological tolerance, and biodiversity in an era of global change
The global redistribution of species is leading to large-scale community change. Gaining a process-based understanding for what factors create species and community resilience under environmental variability is an important research objective for our time.
My research aims to address this theme by linking physiological thresholds of organisms to the environment they experience to quantify changes in species distributions, the outcome of species interactions, and community patterns. My approach is to link spatial and temporal trends in abiotic variables at biologically relevant scales using standardized experimental protocols, complementary laboratory and field approaches, meta-analytic approaches, and modern statistical tools.
Joan Alfaro
Post-Doctoral Researcher,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Community ecology, functional ecology, biodiversity patterns, deep sea, chemosynthetic-based habitats
Research Focus:
Developing a biological trait database for the Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is offshore Pacific Area of Interest, Canada.
Assessing the functional diversity and biogeography of deep-sea chemosynthetic-based communities at the global scale.
Contact:
jmalfarolucas@gmail.com
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Community ecology, functional ecology, biodiversity patterns, deep sea, chemosynthetic-based habitats
Research Focus:
Developing a biological trait database for the Tang.ɢwan – ḥačxwiqak – Tsig̱is offshore Pacific Area of Interest, Canada.
Assessing the functional diversity and biogeography of deep-sea chemosynthetic-based communities at the global scale.
Contact:
jmalfarolucas@gmail.com
Marta Miatta
Post-Doctoral Researcher,
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Marine ecology, biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, conservation
Research Focus:
Developing ecosystem indicators to inform management decisions for northern marine ecosystems in the context of a changing ocean
Contact:
mm5655@mun.ca
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Marine ecology, biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, conservation
Research Focus:
Developing ecosystem indicators to inform management decisions for northern marine ecosystems in the context of a changing ocean
Contact:
mm5655@mun.ca
Jasmin Schuster
Post-Doctoral Researcher,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Species’ climate resilience, physiological traits, biodiversity change, kelp forest ecosystems
Research Focus:
The role of kelp and urchin dynamics in changing trait diversity and assemblage structure of shallow marine communities
Contact:
jasmin.schuster@hakai.org
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Species’ climate resilience, physiological traits, biodiversity change, kelp forest ecosystems
Research Focus:
The role of kelp and urchin dynamics in changing trait diversity and assemblage structure of shallow marine communities
Contact:
jasmin.schuster@hakai.org
Cerren Richards
PhD Candidate,
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Seabird ecology, macroecology, conservation, ecological energetics
Thesis Focus:
From individuals to ecosystems: environmental constraints on seabird energetics across spatiotemporal scales.
Contact:
cerridwenr@mun.ca
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Seabird ecology, macroecology, conservation, ecological energetics
Thesis Focus:
From individuals to ecosystems: environmental constraints on seabird energetics across spatiotemporal scales.
Contact:
cerridwenr@mun.ca
Mary Clinton
PhD Candidate,
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Biodiversity, benthic ecology, community change, marine invertebrates
Thesis Focus:
Ecosystem functioning in nearshore benthic environments: The roles of food quality and quantity.
Contact:
meclinton@mun.ca
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Biodiversity, benthic ecology, community change, marine invertebrates
Thesis Focus:
Ecosystem functioning in nearshore benthic environments: The roles of food quality and quantity.
Contact:
meclinton@mun.ca
Nova Hanson
PhD Candidate,
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Gastropod morphology, evolutionary developmental biology, ecology, conservation
Thesis Focus:
Symbiosis and energetics of a hydrothermal vent snail across extreme environmental gradients.
Contact:
nbhanson@mun.ca
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Gastropod morphology, evolutionary developmental biology, ecology, conservation
Thesis Focus:
Symbiosis and energetics of a hydrothermal vent snail across extreme environmental gradients.
Contact:
nbhanson@mun.ca
Dominique Maucieri
PhD Candidate,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Marine Community Ecology, Multiple Stressors, Foundational Species, Quantitative Biology
Thesis Focus:
Interactive effects of large-scale disturbances as drivers of diversity and change in marine invertebrate communities.
Contact:
dominiquemaucieri@uvic.ca
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Marine Community Ecology, Multiple Stressors, Foundational Species, Quantitative Biology
Thesis Focus:
Interactive effects of large-scale disturbances as drivers of diversity and change in marine invertebrate communities.
Contact:
dominiquemaucieri@uvic.ca
Ellie Weir
PhD Student,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Sea turtle conservation, microplastics, multiple stressors
Thesis Focus:
Quantifying microplastic and climate change interactions on the hatching success of leatherback sea turtles in Costa Rica
Contact:
weire1@mcmaster.ca
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Sea turtle conservation, microplastics, multiple stressors
Thesis Focus:
Quantifying microplastic and climate change interactions on the hatching success of leatherback sea turtles in Costa Rica
Contact:
weire1@mcmaster.ca
Lindsay Clark
MSc Student,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Deep sea ecology, seamount communities, oxygen minimum zones, taxonomy and systematics
Thesis focus:
Spatial and temporal analyses of long-term monitoring sites on seamounts within the Offshore Pacific Bioregion, Canada.
Contact:
lclark17@uvic.ca
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Deep sea ecology, seamount communities, oxygen minimum zones, taxonomy and systematics
Thesis focus:
Spatial and temporal analyses of long-term monitoring sites on seamounts within the Offshore Pacific Bioregion, Canada.
Contact:
lclark17@uvic.ca
Mitra Nikoo
MSc Student,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Marine invertebrates, coral reef ecology, behavioural ecology, conservation, climate change adaptation
Thesis Focus:
Modelling the impact of COVID-19 mobility restrictions on coastal water quality in the Indo-Pacific and the interaction between water quality and crown-of-thorns sea star (Acanthaster planci) outbreaks
Contact:
mnikoo@uvic.ca
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Marine invertebrates, coral reef ecology, behavioural ecology, conservation, climate change adaptation
Thesis Focus:
Modelling the impact of COVID-19 mobility restrictions on coastal water quality in the Indo-Pacific and the interaction between water quality and crown-of-thorns sea star (Acanthaster planci) outbreaks
Contact:
mnikoo@uvic.ca
Megan Davies
MSc Student,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Deep-sea conservation ecology, seamount systems, benthic macroinvertebrates, fish biology & behaviour
Thesis Focus:
Identifying hotspots of invertebrate diversity in seamount systems and predicting impacts of climate change on diversity trends.
Contact:
mdavies7@uvic.ca
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Deep-sea conservation ecology, seamount systems, benthic macroinvertebrates, fish biology & behaviour
Thesis Focus:
Identifying hotspots of invertebrate diversity in seamount systems and predicting impacts of climate change on diversity trends.
Contact:
mdavies7@uvic.ca
Natalie Perrin
MSc Student,
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Climate change, marine community ecology, sustainable fisheries
Thesis Focus:
Climate change impacts on sub-arctic marine biota
Contact:
nperrin@mun.ca
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Research Interests:
Climate change, marine community ecology, sustainable fisheries
Thesis Focus:
Climate change impacts on sub-arctic marine biota
Contact:
nperrin@mun.ca
Sierra Gray
MSc Student,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Ecophysiology, marine invertebrates, climate change, conservation
Thesis Focus:
Growth, physiological, and genomic responses of juvenile Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) to coinciding climate stressors
Contact:
sierragray@uvic.ca
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Ecophysiology, marine invertebrates, climate change, conservation
Thesis Focus:
Growth, physiological, and genomic responses of juvenile Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) to coinciding climate stressors
Contact:
sierragray@uvic.ca
Cara Herrington
MSc Student,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Vultures, conservation, ecology, migration, climate change
Thesis Focus:
Understanding Turkey Vulture ecology at the northern extent of their range. Identifying weather/climate variables required for oceanic crossing made by Turkey Vultures migrating to Vancouver Island.
Contact:
caraherrington@uvic.ca
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Vultures, conservation, ecology, migration, climate change
Thesis Focus:
Understanding Turkey Vulture ecology at the northern extent of their range. Identifying weather/climate variables required for oceanic crossing made by Turkey Vultures migrating to Vancouver Island.
Contact:
caraherrington@uvic.ca
Lydia Walton
MSc Student,
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Ecophysiology, climate change, marine invertebrates, rocky intertidal, food web ecology
Thesis Focus:
Investigating the impacts of multiple climatic stressors on the keystone predator Pisaster ochraceus (Ochre sea star).
Contact:
lydiawalton14@uvic.ca
University of Victoria
Research Interests:
Ecophysiology, climate change, marine invertebrates, rocky intertidal, food web ecology
Thesis Focus:
Investigating the impacts of multiple climatic stressors on the keystone predator Pisaster ochraceus (Ochre sea star).
Contact:
lydiawalton14@uvic.ca
Valesca de Groot
OFI Project Communications Coordinator
Role:
Sustainable Nunatsiavut Futures is a transdisciplinary project that aims to tackle Climate Change in the North by combining Indigenous Knowledge and western science. Valesca coordinates communications within the project, is planning the On the Land Workshop, and is producing a Marine Field Guide for the Nunatsiavut region through collaborating with school groups, translators, and local artists.
Contact:
vdegroot@mun.ca
Role:
Sustainable Nunatsiavut Futures is a transdisciplinary project that aims to tackle Climate Change in the North by combining Indigenous Knowledge and western science. Valesca coordinates communications within the project, is planning the On the Land Workshop, and is producing a Marine Field Guide for the Nunatsiavut region through collaborating with school groups, translators, and local artists.
Contact:
vdegroot@mun.ca
Sydney Dixon
Research Assistant
Role:
Assisting on several different research projects within the lab spanning from the Indo-Pacific to offshore British Columbia. Sydney helps coordinate communication between the lab and various global research groups and assists in creating several data bases.
Contact:
sydneycdixon@gmail.com
Role:
Assisting on several different research projects within the lab spanning from the Indo-Pacific to offshore British Columbia. Sydney helps coordinate communication between the lab and various global research groups and assists in creating several data bases.
Contact:
sydneycdixon@gmail.com
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