Anthropod responses to changing environments

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This research explores the dynamic factors driving arthropod population dynamics and integrates that understanding with work about evolution of arthropod life histories, habitat affinities and assemblage composition. We study arthropod roles in ecosystem function and predict community responses to stress and perturbation. Emphasis is on knitting ecological themes into an evolutionary context well connected to biological details of the focal organisms. We contribute to general explanatory frameworks in evolutionary ecology and apply these to landscape and renewable resource management. In addition, the program contributes to scientific syntheses about life-history theory, significance of interspecific hybridization and the new, and emerging science of biodiversity. Work proposed fits into 7 project themes: 1) insect assemblages on urban-rural gradients and how they may be conserved in the face of development and impact of invasive exotic species; 2) relationships between forestry practices and arthropod diversity, comparing effects of forestry with those of natural disturbances, and use mainly experimental approaches to elucidate tradeoffs between biodiversity and other values; 3) relationships between forest pests and characteristics of their hosts and natural enemies, and how these are affected by climate change; 4) how top-down and bottom-up food-web linkages affect evolution of life histories and how life-history traits evolve in relation to variable density, natural enemies and abiotic conditions; 5) why some species do not show the logical trade-offs basic to general life-history; 6) hybridization in semi-aquatic bugs in western North America, especially how population genetic aspects of tension zone models are best applied in mosaic zones complicated by movement and possible habitat selection; and 7) use of arthropods as indicators of wetland health and restoration, including the potential use of waterstriders as bioindicators of pollution and global change, such as changes in UV radiation and precipitation patterns. This work contributes to meeting Canada's commitments under the Rio biodiversity convention and to developing innovative strategies for sustainable forest management and management of pest species.