Landscape Ecology and Spatial Analysis (LESA)

Lab

Dr. Yolanda Wiersma

Monica G. Turner

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Sally A. Tinker Dennis H. Knight

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What is landscape ecology?

Landscape ecology is the study of spatial patterns and ecological processes.

Landscape ecologists try to understand the causes and consequences of spatial heterogeneity across spatial scales.

Monica G. Turner

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Kim

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Sally A. Tinker Dennis H. Knight

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Or, we study…

… what you can see from an airplane. Topography Land cover types Human land uses

What do landscape ecologists research?

Many things!! Origin of spatial patterns (why are certain

ecological features found in some places and not others?)

The effects of changes in landscape structure over space/time on ecological processes.

How landscape influences ecological flows (species dispersal, hydrology, fire, insect outbreaks)

What tools and techniques do landscape ecologists use?

Traditional field ecology research Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Remote sensing analysis (satellite imagery) Process-based modelling Spatial statistics Geostatistics

My Research

Impacts of human development in and around national parks on the loss of mammal species.

Parks Canada Parks Canada

Wiersma, Nudds, Rivard. 2003. Models to distinguish effects of landscape pattern and human population pressures associated with species loss in Canadian national parks. Landscape Ecology 19: 773-786.

My Research

Predictive habitat modelling for moose in the Liard Valley, Yukon.

My Research Identifying minimum requirements for

representative protected areas in Canada’s ecozones.

Wiersma, Y.F. and Nudds, T.D. 2006 Conservation targets for viable species assemblages: data independent targets are not appropriate. Biodiversity and Conservation 15: 4555-4567.

My Research The effects of beta diversity patterns on

identifying minimum representation requirements for Yukon protected areas.

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Wiersma, Y.F. and Urban, D.L. 2005.Beta-diversity and nature reserve system design: a case study from the Yukon, Canada. Conservation Biology 19: 1262-1272.

What’s happing in the LESA lab?

Effects of roads and culverts on stream connectivity in Atlantic national parks

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LMNO Engineering

Road density

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Connectivity

Habitat modelling for shrimp and snow crab in NAFO Division 3L

DFO

What’s happing in the LESA lab?

Spatial aspects of predator-prey relationships between caribou and coyote in the Northern Peninsula

Catherine Timberg

Google Earth

Mass Wildlife

What’s happing in the LESA lab?

Movement dynamics of woodland caribou in Newfoundland

Catherine Timberg

What’s happing in the LESA lab?

Habitat use and foraging strategy of bats in different habitat on the west coast of Newfoundland

USDA-Forest Service

Little Brown Bat

Angela Bakka

Eastern Long-eared Bat

Michigan DNR

Hoary Bat

What’s happing in the LESA lab?

Systems planning for protected areas in Canada

What’s happing in the LESA lab?

Opportunities for students

MUCEPs: Help with computer networking/GIS analysis Literature review on parks and protected areas

and relationships to forestry activities Honours Students:

Research related to caribou/coyote dynamics GIS-based research related to national parks

Grad Students: Full lab right now, but let’s talk…

To find out more… Email: ywiersma@mun.ca Phone: 737-7499 Office: SN-4099 Visit the lab (under construction): SN-4166E

Monica G. Turner

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n A

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Kim

ber

ly W

ith

Sally A. Tinker Dennis H. Knight

Joh

n A

. W

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s