Education

Post-Doc (2008). Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan. Siciliano Lab.

PhD. (2007). Biological Sciences, University of Alberta. Competition and community structure in a rough fescue grassland. Cahill Lab.

MSc. (2002). Biology, Lakehead University. Ecology and management of riparian zone vegetation along small coldwater streams in northwestern Ontario. Mallik Lab.

BSc. (1999). Biological Sciences, University of British Columbia.

Research Interests

I am a plant ecologist with research interests including the mechanisms that structure plant community diversity, plant - soil interactions, plant competition, statistical ecology, and natural history. My current research is focused on 1) the role plant - microbial interactions play in structuring plant community composition and diversity, and 2) the use of fire and grazing management strategies to maintain grassland productivity and health

Roy Vera

PhD 2020. Biology, University of Saskatchewan. Plant Systematics Lab.

MSc. Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Systems. University of Valladolid, Spain.

BSc. Agriculture. Army Polytechnic School, Ecuador.

My research interest focuses on the analysis of the structure and composition of plant communities and their interaction with natural and anthropogenic disturbances. I am particularly interested in the study of the ecological benefits of plant diversity and its relationship with the productivity of forests and agroecosystems in the context of ecosystem services. Most of my research applies field observations, experiments, and analysis of large data sets to assess the sustainability of agricultural practices.

Katherine Standen

PhD. 2021. Biological and Chemical Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, ON, Canada.

MSc. 2016. Biology, University of New Brunswick, NB, Canada

BSc. 2013. Honours Biology, University of New Brunswick, NB, Canada

My research interests focus on changes in vascular plant and biological soil crust (soil surface communities of bryophytes, lichens, bacteria, and fungi) community processes with natural and anthropogenic disturbance, particularly in high latitude systems. Specifically, I’m interested in understanding changes in community composition and function (i.e., gas flux, plant functional traits) following disturbance and how this may influence overall ecosystem function. My research includes field observations and experiments, as well as Illumina amplicon sequencing datasets.

Dale Gross (PhD.)

BSc (2002) University of Saskatchewan: Land Use and Environmental Studies
MSc (2005) University of Saskatchewan, Dept. of Plant Sciences: Thesis: Spatial and temporal effects of burning on plant community characteristics and composition in a Fescue Prairie

Dale's research involves various aspects of prescribed fire as a land management tool in northern mixed grass prairie including 1) Evaluating risk of grassland fire at different scales of observation using remote sensing; 2) Examining ungulate grazing selectively in response to prescribed burning and impacts to heterogeneity of grassland habitat; and 3) Comparative analysis of strategies to reintroduce prescribed fire, a natural ecosystem process and Indigenous cultural practice, as a land management tool in Saskatchewan.

Jackie Kroeger (MSc.)

Angie Li (MSc.)

Abinash Subedei (MSc)

Sera Grover (Msc.)

Brielle Reidlinger (MSc.)

Amanda Muller (PhD. 2021)

Zelalem Taye (PhD. 2020

Udayanga Attanayake (PhD. 2020)

Hannah Hilger (MSc. 2020)

Peter Tarleton (MSc. 2020)

Kelsey Seidle (MSc. 2018)

Mostafa Serajchi (PhD. 2017)

Danielle Levesque (MSc. 2016)

Krystal Isbister (MSc. 2016)

Idunnu Okanula (MSc. 2016)

Mike Lavender (MSc. 2014)

Jenalee Mischkolz (MSc. 2013)

Candace Piper (MSc. 2013)

Digit Guedo (MSc. 2012)

Christiane Catellier (MSc. 2011)