Fri, March 8, 2019 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCH LABORATORY (AERL). Speaker: Dr. Mary O’Connor
Associate Professor, Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre
Location: AERL Theatre (Rm. 120)
Biodiversity change and ecological responses to climate change are topics of major concern, and we rely on ecological theory to guide how we relate observed or suspected changes to potential consequences for ecosystem functions and services. Our major theories of life emphasize either energy and materials (metabolic theories) or information (biodiversity, evolution). Dr. O'Connor is seeking avenues for unification across these conceptual pillars, and insights gained by a unified approach for modern ecological problems. She will also present recent work that strengthens our understanding of how general temperature dependence of metabolism constrains population-level processes and fitness potential, providing a key link between temperature and ecological and evolutionary outcomes across scales. She may also include recent work on empirical evidence to relate aquatic biodiversity to ecosystem services of human wellbeing. Dr. O'Connor is deeply interested in unifying our ecological science across scales, and hopes to discuss how we can continue to take steps in that direction to bridge themes in modern ecology.