Research Interests
We are active in three main research areas: 1) Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, 2) Conservation planning in boreal ecosystems, and 3) Biodiversity responses to climate change. We use mathematical modeling, field experiments and observations, spatial analyses, and data synthesis to investigate our three core research themes.
1) Biodiversity & ecosystem functioning
Our research in this broad field of study falls along two main axes.
a) Meta-ecosystem ecology
This research focuses on understanding the dynamics of spatially coupled ecosystems such as aquatic-terrestrial ecotones. Much of our basic understanding of ecosystems has derived from studies which treat ecosystems as spatially distinct units. However, a great deal of recent empirical and theoretical work clearly shows that the dynamics of few ecosystems can be understood in isolation of their surrounding areas. In essence, this research is contributing to an emerging field of meta-ecosystem ecology. Key recent publications on this topic: Leroux & Loreau 2008 Ecology Letters, 2012 Ecosystems, MacSween et al. 2019 Oikos, Montagano et al. 2019 Ecology Letters.
b) Animal impacts on ecosystem elemental cycling (i.e., zoogeochemistry)
With this research, we are investigating the role of consumers (i.e. predators, herbivores, decomposers, detritivores) in ecosystem nutrient cycling. Through their consumptive and non-consumptive activities (e.g. risk), consumer can structure food webs and influence the quantity and quality of materials being recycled through an ecosystem. We are currently conducting field studies on the effects of consumers on litter decomposition in streams and forests in Atlantic Canada. We recently published a high profile review paper on this emerging field of study, zoogeochemistry. Key recent publications on this topic: Leroux et al. 2017 Ecology Letters; Ellis & Leroux 2017 Functional Ecology; Schmitz et al. 2018 Science; Buchkowski et al. 2019 Ecology, .
2) Conservation planning in boreal ecosystems
The boreal biome is one of the World’s last remaining wilderness areas and Canada is steward to much of it. The boreal region represents a challenge for conservation planners because it is still a very dynamic ecosystem which is shaped by large scale natural disturbances like forest fire and insect outbreaks. In collaboration with the BEACONs project, we are developing novel methods for designing comprehensive conservation networks which include ecological benchmarks, site-specific protected areas and the conservation matrix. Key recent publications on this topic: Leroux & Kerr 2013 Conservation Biology, Leroux & Rayfield 2014 Diversity & Distributions, Leroux et al. 2015 Biological Conservation, D'Aloia et al. 2019 Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. See www.beaconsproject.ca for more information.
3) Biodiversity responses to climate change
Many species’ distributions are influenced by climate and land-use change. Common methods for predicting species responses to global changes do not incorporate key processes that may be driving this response such as dispersal and population growth rate. We are applying mechanistic mathematical models and spatial analyses of large data sets to study and predict species responses to climate and land-use change . Key recent publications on this topic: Leroux et al. 2013 Ecological Applications, Yalcin & Leroux 2017 GEB, Yalcin & Leroux 2018 Global Change Biology.