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Principal Investigator:
Jason Pither, PhD Associate Professor Departments of Biology & Earth, Environment, and Geographic Sciences Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus email: jason [dot] pither <at> ubc [dot] ca |
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Current Graduate Students
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Corrina Thomsen (Ph.D.) September 2018 - TBD, but approximately: The role of herbaceous plant hosts of mycorrhizal fungi in facilitating range shifts of tree species. Mac Repovs (M.Sc.) September 2018 - The contribution of community gardens to pollinator diversity in urban ecosystems. Faye Manning (M.Sc.) September 2017 - Are waterbirds effective vectors of freshwater diatoms? (Experiments with feathers!) Alex Johnston (M.Sc.) September 2016 - Plant functional diversity within the interior Douglas fir forests of British Columbia. Bruno Carturan (Ph.D.) May 2014 - (co-advised with Dr. Lael Parrott) Relationship between diversity, connectivity, and resilience in coral reef communities. Carmen Chelick (M.Sc.) September 2015 - Functional and phylogenetic diversity within the Okanagan basin, British Columbia. Brian Muselle (M.Sc.) May 2015 - Agent-based models of the impending invasion of the apple maggot in the Okanagan Valley |
Front row L-R: Brian, Faye, Bethany, Jason
Back row L-R: Emma, Jon, Bruno, Alex Updated photo coming soon! |
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Honours Students
None presently Undergraduate research assistants
Emma Corbett - Work-study student.
Emma is mining data and learning R to build an online, interactive map (using Shiny) of the seasonal, spatio-temporal dynamics of floral resources in the Okanagan basin. Nicholas Tochor - Work-study student Nicholas will be leveraging freshwater diatom data to address long-standing questions about spatial and temporal variation in diversity |
Post-doctoral research associates
None presently
Former Post-docs
Janice Brahney, February 2015 - April 2015
With her expertise on diatoms, and dust deposition, Janice helped us initiate our diatom dispersal field study.
Janice will be starting an assistant-professor position at Utah State in August 2016 - congrats Janice!
With her expertise on diatoms, and dust deposition, Janice helped us initiate our diatom dispersal field study.
Janice will be starting an assistant-professor position at Utah State in August 2016 - congrats Janice!
Former Graduate Students
Brittany Altwasser (M.Sc) May 2017
Thesis title: "Deriving a qualitative, continental-scale model of the species richness of tree-associated ectomycorrhizal fungi in Canada and the USA"
Where now: Biology instructor at Northern Lights College in Fort St. John, BC.
Roxanne Snook (M.Sc) (co-advisor) August 2015
Thesis title: "Modelling habitat for the Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel (Gonidea angulata) in Okanagan Lake, BC
Where now: Environmental consultant with Pearson Ecological Inc., lower mainland BC.
Liana Collette (M.Sc.) August 2014.
Thesis title: "An ecological assessment of Russian olive in western Canada: predicted distribution across its invaded range and insect associations in southern BC"
Where now: Research coordinator for Feedlot Health Management Services, Calgary AB
David Ensing (M.Sc.) August 2013.
Thesis title: "The influence of grazing on within-community taxonomic and phylogenetic heterogeneity in alpine meadow plant communities"
Where now: Ph.D. candidate with Dr. Chris Eckert, Queen's University
Chandra Moffat (M.Sc.) August 2012.
Thesis title: "Cryptic host-associated and frequency-dependent patterns of host species selection of a candidate weed biocontrol agent in its native range"
Where now: Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC
Elaine Bambrick (M.Sc.) April 2013.
Thesis title: "Stochastic and deterministic assembly within forest plant communities of British Columbia"
Where now: Forest practitioner, Mackenzie, BC. BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources Operations.
Laura Super (M.Sc.) May 2011.
Thesis title: "The influence of landscape-scale spatial environmental structure on the predictability of local community composition"
Where now: Ph.D. student with Suzanne Simard at UBC Forestry
Josephine Symonds (M.Sc.) April 2011.
Thesis title: "Patterns and ecological consequences of exotic plant invasion in Canada's endangered antelope-brush ecosystem"
Where now: Ecosystems Biologist, Penticton BC, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources Operations
Brittany Altwasser (M.Sc) May 2017
Thesis title: "Deriving a qualitative, continental-scale model of the species richness of tree-associated ectomycorrhizal fungi in Canada and the USA"
Where now: Biology instructor at Northern Lights College in Fort St. John, BC.
Roxanne Snook (M.Sc) (co-advisor) August 2015
Thesis title: "Modelling habitat for the Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel (Gonidea angulata) in Okanagan Lake, BC
Where now: Environmental consultant with Pearson Ecological Inc., lower mainland BC.
Liana Collette (M.Sc.) August 2014.
Thesis title: "An ecological assessment of Russian olive in western Canada: predicted distribution across its invaded range and insect associations in southern BC"
Where now: Research coordinator for Feedlot Health Management Services, Calgary AB
David Ensing (M.Sc.) August 2013.
Thesis title: "The influence of grazing on within-community taxonomic and phylogenetic heterogeneity in alpine meadow plant communities"
Where now: Ph.D. candidate with Dr. Chris Eckert, Queen's University
Chandra Moffat (M.Sc.) August 2012.
Thesis title: "Cryptic host-associated and frequency-dependent patterns of host species selection of a candidate weed biocontrol agent in its native range"
Where now: Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC
Elaine Bambrick (M.Sc.) April 2013.
Thesis title: "Stochastic and deterministic assembly within forest plant communities of British Columbia"
Where now: Forest practitioner, Mackenzie, BC. BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources Operations.
Laura Super (M.Sc.) May 2011.
Thesis title: "The influence of landscape-scale spatial environmental structure on the predictability of local community composition"
Where now: Ph.D. student with Suzanne Simard at UBC Forestry
Josephine Symonds (M.Sc.) April 2011.
Thesis title: "Patterns and ecological consequences of exotic plant invasion in Canada's endangered antelope-brush ecosystem"
Where now: Ecosystems Biologist, Penticton BC, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources Operations
Former Honours Students
Bethany Arndt - April 2018. (co-advised with Dr. Adam Ford)
The changing geography of plant resources for large herbivores in western Canada. Currently doing MSc at UBC's Vancouver campus with Dr. Nicholas Coops.
Taylor Weixl (Honours Ecology & Evolutionary Biology) April 2016
Thesis title: "Evaluating moderators of calibration model precision in diatom-based paleolimnological studies".
Carmen Chelick (Honours Biology) April 2015
Thesis title: "Getting the best bang for your conservation bucks: prioritizing wetlands for conservation in the Okanagan Valley, BC".
Grace Watts (Honours Biology, co-advised with Dr. Miranda Hart) April 2015
Thesis title: "The occurrence and viability of fungal spores at depth within peat".
Brian Muselle (Honours Biology) April 2014.
Thesis title: "A meta-analysis comparing the diversity of insect assemblages inhabiting plant communities with and without exotic plant species"
David Ensing (Honours Biology) April 2011.
Thesis title: "The potential for invasion and biological control of Pilosella caespitosa and Pilosella glomerata"
The changing geography of plant resources for large herbivores in western Canada. Currently doing MSc at UBC's Vancouver campus with Dr. Nicholas Coops.
Taylor Weixl (Honours Ecology & Evolutionary Biology) April 2016
Thesis title: "Evaluating moderators of calibration model precision in diatom-based paleolimnological studies".
Carmen Chelick (Honours Biology) April 2015
Thesis title: "Getting the best bang for your conservation bucks: prioritizing wetlands for conservation in the Okanagan Valley, BC".
Grace Watts (Honours Biology, co-advised with Dr. Miranda Hart) April 2015
Thesis title: "The occurrence and viability of fungal spores at depth within peat".
Brian Muselle (Honours Biology) April 2014.
Thesis title: "A meta-analysis comparing the diversity of insect assemblages inhabiting plant communities with and without exotic plant species"
David Ensing (Honours Biology) April 2011.
Thesis title: "The potential for invasion and biological control of Pilosella caespitosa and Pilosella glomerata"
Former undergraduate research assistants
Jeanne Langlois-Mongeau
Grace Watts
Emma Walker
Mayling Fennell
Colin Scherer
Mark Lam
Peter Lomas
Katelyn Short
Sarah Degenhardt
Catherine Lund
Fawn Ross
Samantha Brett
Jamie MacEwen
Jeanne Langlois-Mongeau
Grace Watts
Emma Walker
Mayling Fennell
Colin Scherer
Mark Lam
Peter Lomas
Katelyn Short
Sarah Degenhardt
Catherine Lund
Fawn Ross
Samantha Brett
Jamie MacEwen
