Macroecology & Conservation

Macroecology and Conservation

Our work starts with research but is about more than that: we look for ways to use discoveries to improve conservation prospects during the current period of rapid climate change and habitat loss. Our macroecological work is global but we are especially active in the field in Canada.

 

Research

 

Soroye, Newbold, and Kerr 2020

Macroecology and Global Change

Macroecology is the study of ecological processes at very broad spatial scales: by leveraging pre-existing datasets that cover massive spatial and temporal extents, we are able to answer pressing questions in global change and conservation. Broadly, we ask how climate and landcover change impact species’ ranges and diversity. This can include questions about effects of pesticides, short and long-term climate trends, and habitat loss and connectivity, among others. While this work often focuses on well-studied insects like bees, butterflies, and dragonflies, we also exploring patterns in birds and mammals.

Example Publications

Soroye, P., T. Newbold. J. T. Kerr. 2020. Climate change contributes to widespread declines among bumble bees across continents. Science 367: 685-688. Link

Sirois-Delisle, C., J. T. Kerr. 2021. Climate change aggravates non-target effects of pesticides on dragonflies at macroecological scales. Ecological Applications: 32. Link

Koppel, O., J. T. Kerr. 2022. Strong phenological shifts among bumblebee species in North America can help predict extinction risk. Biological Conservation 272: 109675. Link


Landscape and Metacommunity Ecology

While this type of research is done at a much smaller scale than our macroecology work, designing and conducting our own field surveys allows us to ask questions about the impacts of global change that can’t be answered with existing data. We have tended to pursue topics like landscape change, habitat connectivity, and plant availability for pollinators, but many other lines of inquiry are possible. Recently we have become particularly interested in microclimates, and how small-scale climate extremes can have important impacts on species and communities. Observing our study organisms in the field is always encouraged, and can give us a new perspective on our macroecological research.

Example Publications

Crandall, K. E., V. Milien, J. T. Kerr. 2024. High-resolution environmental and host-related factors impacting questing Ixodes scapularis at their northern range edge. Ecology and Evolution 14.2: e10855. Link

Gordon, S., J. G. A. Martin, J. T. Kerr. 2024. Dispersal mediates trophic interactions and habitat connectivity to alter metacommunity composition. Ecology: e4215. Link

Ednie, G., J. T. Kerr. 2022. High resolution thermal remote sensing and the limits of species tolerance. PeerJLife: 10. Link


Publications

Our research group has >110 publications, with several additional articles in process, and 3 books on EDI and education. "In preparation" works aren’t listed. These papers have accumulated around 16,800 citations and Kerr has an H-index of 55.

We try to make every contribution count in terms of scientific and societal benefit (i.e. NOT "minimum publishable units"). We work with media frequently and have contributed to policies and legislation provincially and nationally in Canada. Examples of impact include contributions to the Ontario Endangered Species Act, conservation commitments in the northern boreal regions of Canada, protected area planning at the federal level, specific policies and practices around equity, diversity, and inclusion, and issues around the recovery of science integrity in Canada. 

Scientific publication is in transition. We have often published our work using the "gold" open access standard, but associated costs have grown unsustainably and can become unsupportable on public research funds. We will shift, sometimes, to the "green" standard. While we continue to use social media, we are shifting toward Mastodon and decisively away from Twitter for ethical reasons. Mainstream media covers our work intensively and we are often asked to comment on developments in the news (e.g. COP15).


2024

  1. Bretzlaff*, T., J. T. Kerr, C.-A. Darveau. In press. Handling heatwaves: balancing thermoregulation, foraging and bumblebee colony success. Conservation Physiology.

  2. Crandall*, K. E., J. T. Kerr, V. Millien. In press. Pathogen presence, prevalence, and diversity in Ixodes scapularis and mammal hosts at their expanding northern range limits. Frontiers in Parasitology.

  3. Crandall*, K. E., V. Milien, J. T. Kerr. In press. High-resolution environmental and host-related factors impacting questing Ixodes scapularis at their northern range edge. Ecology and Evolution.

2023

  1. Gordon*, S., J. G. A. Martin, J. T. Kerr. 2023. Dispersal mediates trophic interactions and habitat connectivity to alter metacommunity composition. Ecology.

  2. Crandall*, K. E., V. Millien, J. T. Kerr. 2023. Historical associations and spatiotemporal changes of pathogen presence in ticks in Canada: a systematic review. Zoonoses and Public Health. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/zph.13093

  3. Bretlaff*, T., J. T. Kerr, C.-A. Darveau. 2023. High temperature sensitivity of bumblebee castes and the colony-level costs of thermoregulation in Bombus impatiens. Journal of Thermal Biology 117: 103710. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103710

  4. Newbold, T., J. T. Kerr, P. Soroye*, J. J. Williams. 2023. Bumblebee occupancy responds to complex interactions between local and landscape land use, climatic niche propertires and climate change. BioRxiv 2023.09. 12.557199. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2023/09/15/2023.09.12.557199.full.pdf

2022

  1. Crandall, K., J. T. Kerr, V. Millien. 2022. Emerging tick-borne pathogens in eastern Canada: New detections of B. odocoilei and R. rickettsia. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 11: 535-544.

  2. Ednie*, G., J. T. Kerr. 2022. High resolution thermal remote sensing and the limits of species tolerance. PeerJLife 10. https://peerj.com/articles/13911/

  3. Koppel, O., J. T. Kerr. 2022. Strong phenological shifts among bumblebee species in North America can help predict extinction risk. Biological Conservation 272: 109675. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320722002282

  4. Flynn, A., J. T. Kerr. 2022. Inclusive education: simple strategies to improve equity and embrace diversity. Pressbooks Open Library. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/inclusiveeducation/

    (book published simultaneously in French)

  5. Gordon*, S., J. T. Kerr. 2022. Floral diversity increases butterfly diversity in a multitrophic metacommunity. Ecology.

2021

  1. Bodner, K., C. Firkowski, Joe Bennett, et al. (incl. J. T. Kerr). 2021. Bridging the divide between ecological forecasts and environmental decision-making. Ecosphere. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3869.

  2. Sirois-Delisle*, C., J. T. Kerr. 2021. Climate change aggravates non-target effects of pesticides on dragonflies at macroecological scales. Ecological Applications 32. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2494

  3. Soroye*, P., Newbold. T., J. T. Kerr. 2021. Multiple measures of biodiversity change make for the strongest analyses with historical data. Biological Conservation. 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109217

  4. Kerr, J. T. 2021. Scientific integrity and environmental decision-making in Canada: a fragile renaissance. Pages 73-97 in DellaSalla, D. (ed). Conservation Science and Advocacy for a Planet in Peril: Speaking Truth to Power. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812988-3.00001-6

  5. Wilson, J. K., N. Casajus, R. A. Hutchinson, K. P. McFarland, J. T. Kerr, D. Berteaux, M. Larrivée, & K. L. Prudic. 2021. Climate Change and local host availability drive the northern range boundary in the rapid expansion of a specialist insect herbivore, Papilio cresphontes. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.579230.

2020

  1. Kerr, J. T. 2020. Racing against change: understanding dispersal and persistence to improve species' conservation prospects. Proc. R. Soc. B. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.2061.

  2. Allen, M., A. Szozda, A. Flynn, J. T. Kerr. Remote teaching: A guide for teaching assistants. Pressbooks Open Library. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/teachingassistants/

    (book published simultaneously in French)

  3. Cooke, S. J. et al. (incl J. T. Kerr). 2020. On “success” in applied environmental research — What is it, how can it be achieved, and how does one know when it has been achieved? Environmental Reviews: https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2020-0045.

  4. Flynn, A., J. T. Kerr. 2020. Remote Teaching: A practical guide with tools, tips, and techniques. Pressbooks Open Library. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/remotecourse/

    (book published simultaneously in French)

  5. Soroye*, P., T. Newbold. J. T. Kerr. 2020. Climate change contributes to widespread declines among bumble bees cross continents. Science 367: 685-688. Perspectives piece in Science by Bridle and van Rensburg: Discovering the limits of ecological resilience. Media in CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, CBC, Carbon Brief, National Geographic, etc. Full text here.

2019

  1. Jeanson, A. L., P. Soroye*, A. Kadykalo, T. Ward, E. Paquette, A. Abrams, D. Algera, D. Demers, L. Epp, M. Giles, M. Litt, B. Manoucherhri, L. Masson, S. McBeth, A. Paradis, L. Pittet, J. Sebes, S. Steell, A. Thompson, P. Tremblay, E. Tuononen, J. T. Kerr, J. Bennett, S. Cooke. In press. Twenty Actions for a “Good” Anthropocene - Perspectives from Early Career Conservation Professionals. Sustainability Science.

  2. Stelbring, P., S. Pinkert, J. T. Kerr, C. Wheat, R. Brandl, and D. Zeuss. 2019. Colour lightness of butterfly assemblages across North America and Europe. Scientific Reports 9: 1760. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36761-x

  3. Singh, G., V. Farjalla, B. Chen, A. Pelling, E. Ceyhan, M. Dominik, E. Alisic, J. T. Kerr, N. Selin, E. Bennett, A. Kemp, K. Chan. 2019. Research engagement in policy deemed societally beneficial yet unrewarded. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 17: 375-382.

  4. Zuloaga*, J., D. J. Currie, and J. T. Kerr. 2019. The origins and maintenance of global species endemism. Global Ecology and Biogeography. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12834

2018

  1. Acheson*, E., and J. T. Kerr. 2018. Nets versus spraying: A spatial modelling approach reveals indoor residual spraying targets Anopheles mosquito habitats better than mosquito nets in Tanzania. PLoS One 13(10): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205270 

  2. Kharouba, H. M., J. Lewthwaite, R. Guralnick, J. T. Kerr, & Mark Vellend. 2018. Using insect natural history collections to study global change impacts: challenges and opportunities. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 374 (1763): https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0405

  3. Sirois-Delisle*, C., and J. T. Kerr. 2018. Climate change-driven range losses among bumblebees are poised to accelerate. Scientific Reports 8: 14464. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-32665-y  

  4. Goulson, D., (others), and J. T. Kerr. 2018. Call to restrict neonicotinoids. Science 360: 973. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau0432

  5. Soroye*, P., N. Ahmed, and J. T. Kerr. 2018. Opportunistic citizen science data transform understanding of species distributions, phenology, and diversity gradients for global change research. Global Change Biology 24: 5281-5291. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14358

  6. Lewthwaite, J., AL Angert, SW Kembel, SJ Goring, TJ Davies, AØ Mooers, FAH Sperling, SM Vamosi, JC Vamosi, and J. T. Kerr. 2018. Canadian butterfly climate debt is significant and correlated with range size. Ecography 41: 2005-2015. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.03534

  7. Soucy*, J-P. R., AM Slatculescu, C Nyiraneza, NH Ogden, PA Leighton, J. T. Kerr, MA Kulkarni. 2018. High-Resolution Ecological Niche Modeling of Ixodes scapularis Ticks Based on Passive Surveillance Data at the Northern Frontier of Lyme Disease Emergence in North America. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases 18(5): https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2017.2234

  8. Frei*, B., E. M. Bennett, and J. T. Kerr. 2018. Cropland patchiness strongest agricultural predictor of bird diversity for multiple guilds in landscapes of Ontario, Canada. Regional Environmental Change 18: 2105-2115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-018-1343-5

2017

  1. Carroll, C., B. Hartl, G. Goldman, D. J. Rohlf, A. Treves, J. T. Kerr, E. Ritchie, R. Kingsford, K. Gibbs, M. Maron, and J. Watson. 2017. Defending the scientific integrity of conservation-policy processes. Conservation Biology 31(5): https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12958. Covered in The Atlantic, Canadian Geographic.

  2. Baum, J. K., M. Dodd, K. Tietjen, J. T. Kerr. 2017. Restoring Canada’s competitiveness in fundamental research: the view from the bench. Global Young Academy. Ottawa, Canada. 104pp. Supporting infographics here and here Report coverage in ScienceNatureGlobe and MailToronto StarOttawa CitizenTimes Higher EducationThe Scientist, Research Money, elsewhere. AAAS Podcast here

  3. Kerr, J. T. 2017. A cocktail of poisons. Science 356(6345): 1331-1332. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan6173. Coverage in EconomistLe MondeEl MundoScience, The Guardian, etc. 

  4. Pettorelli, N., et al. (incl. J. T. Kerr). 2017. Satellite remote sensing of ecosystem function: opportunities, challenges, and the way forward. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 2: 122-131. https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.15

  5. Robillard*, C. and J. T. Kerr. 2017. Assessing the shelf life of cost-efficient conservation plans for species at risk across gradients of agricultural land-use. Conservation Biology 31: 837-847. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12886

  6. Desrochers*, R., A. Algar, D. J. Currie, and J. T. Kerr. 2017. Using regional patterns for predicting local temporal change: a test by natural experiment in the Great Lakes bioregion, Ontario, Canada. Diversity and Distributions 23: 261-271. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12518

  7. Lewthwaite*, J., D. Debinski, and J. T. Kerr. 2017. Temperature as the main driver for spatial and temporal turnover in Canadian butterfly species. Global Ecology and Biogeography 26: 459-471. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12553

  8. Prudic, K. L., K. P. McFarland, J. C. Oliver, R. A. Hutchinson, E. C. Long, J. T. Kerr, M. Larrivée. 2017. eButterfly: Leveraging massive online citizen science for butterfly conservation. Insects 8(2): 53. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8020053

2016

  1. Coristine*, L., R. Soares*, P. Soroye*, and J. T. Kerr. 2016. Dispersal limitation, climate change, and practical tools for butterfly conservation in intensively used landscapes. Natural Areas Journal 36: 440-452. https://doi.org/10.3375/043.036.0410

  2. Donaldson, M., N. Burnett, D. Braun, C. Suski, S. Hinch, S. Cooke, and J. T. Kerr. 2016. Taxonomic bias and international biodiversity conservation research. FACETS 1: 105-113. https://doi.org/10.1139/facets-2016-0011 (Covered by Ottawa Citizen, Fulcrum, Hakai Magazine)

  3. Pettorelli, N., et al. (incl. J. T. Kerr). 2016. Framing the concept of satellite remote sensing essential biodiversity variables: challenges and future directions. Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 2(3): 122-131. https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.15 (Covered by Science News, EurekAlert, etc.)

  4. Zuloaga*, J., and J. T. Kerr. 2016. Over the top: do thermal barriers along elevation gradients limit biotic similarity? Ecography 40(4): 478-486. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.01764  Data and supplemental materials: ECOG-01764.

2015

  1. Kerr J. T., Pindar* A, Galpern* P, Packer L, Roberts SM, Rasmont P, Schweiger O, Colla SR, Richardson LL, Wagner DL, Gall LF, Sikes DS, Pantoja A. 2015. Relocation risky for bumblebee colonies - Reply. Science 350: 287. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.350.6258.287

  2. Kerr J. T., Pindar* A, Galpern* P, Packer L, Roberts SM, Rasmont P, Schweiger O, Colla SR, Richardson LL, Wagner DL, Gall LF, Sikes, DS., Pantoja A. 2015. Climate change impacts on bumblebees converge across continents. Science 349: 177-180. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa7031. Supporting multimedia materials streamed here. Science Latest News here. Nature News and Views here. International media coverage listed partially on “News and Public Science” link on this site. One of the 5 highest profile publications worldwide for July 2015. Data from: Climate change impacts on bumblebees converge across continents. Dryad Digital Repository. https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.gf774

  3. Coristine*, L., and J. T. Kerr. 2015. Climate-induced geographical shifts among passerines: contrasting processes along poleward and equatorward range margins.  Ecology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1683. Covered in CBC’s Quirks and Quarks, and on a number of radio programs.

  4. Acheson*, E., A. Plowright*, and J. T. Kerr. 2015. Where have all the mosquito nets gone? Spatial modelling reveals mosquito net distributions across Tanzania do not target optimal Anopheles mosquito habitats. Malaria Journal 14: 322. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-015-0841-x. Covered by The Fulcrum.

  5. Robillard*, C., L. Coristine*, R. Soares*, and J. T. Kerr. 2015. Facilitating climate change-induced range shifts through a continental land use barrier. Conservation Biology 29: 1586-1595. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12556. Discussed in Conservation Corridor

  6. Acheson*, E. S., and J. T. Kerr. 2015. Looking forward by looking back: Using historical calibration to improve forecasts of human disease vector distributions. Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases 15: 173-183. https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2014.1742.


2014

  1. Coristine*, L.E., C.M. Robillard*, J. T. Kerr, C.M. O’Connor, D. Lapointe and S.J. Cooke.  2014.  A conceptual framework for the emerging discipline of conservation physiology.  Conservation Physiology 2. https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cou033.

  2. Boucher-Lalonde, V., J. T. Kerr, and D. J. Currie. 2014. Does climate limit species richness by limiting individual species' ranges? Proceedings of the Royal Society B 281: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2695. Media attention here, and from CBC here

  3. Kharouba, H. M., S. Paquette, J. T. Kerr, and M. Vellend. 2014. Predicting the sensitivity of butterfly phenology over the past century. Global Change Biology 20: 504-514. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12429. Press attention from Conservation MagazineEnvironmental news network, etc.

2013

  1. Faith, D., B. Collen, A. Arino, P. Koleff, J. Guinotte, J. T. Kerr, and V. Chavan. 2013. Bridging the biodiversity data gaps: recommendations to meet users' data needs. Biodiversity Informatics 8: 41-58. https://doi.org/10.17161/bi.v8i2.4126.

  2. Colla, S., N. Szabo*, L. Gall, D. Wagner, and J. T. Kerr. 2013. Response to Stevens and Jenkins pesticide impacts on bumblebees: a missing piece. Conservation Letters 6: 215-216. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12019.

  3. J. T. Kerr, and S. Dobrowski. 2013. Predicting the impacts of global change on species, communities, and ecosystems: it takes time. Global Ecology and Biogeography 22: 261-263. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12036. Special Issue organized by Dobrowski and Kerr. (The most downloaded article of 2013 for the journal) 

  4. Leroux*, S., M. Larrivee*, V. Boucher-Lalonde, A. Hurford, J. Zuloaga*, J. T. Kerr, and F. Lutscher. 2013. Mechanistic models for the spatial spread of species under climate change. Ecological Applications 23:815-828. https://doi.org/10.1890/12-1407.1. Faculty of 1000 selection.

  5. Leroux*, S., and J. T. Kerr. 2013. Land-use development in and surrounding protected areas at the wilderness frontier. Conservation Biology 27(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01953.x.

2012

  1. Larrivee*, M., and J. T. Kerr. 2012. Eastern Canadian butterfly range expansions. Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Canada 44(3): 133-137. http://esc-sec.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Bulletin-Volume44-number3-Sept2012.pdf.

  2. Bedford*, F., R. J. Whittaker, and J. T. Kerr. 2012. Systemic range shift lags among a pollinator species assemblage following rapid climate change. Botany 90(7): 587-597. (special issue on pollination and conservation). https://doi.org/10.1139/b2012-052.

  3. Davila, Y. C., E. Elle, J. C. Vamosi, L. Hermanutz, J. T. Kerr, C. J. Lortie, A. R. Westwood, T. S. Woodcock, and A. Worley. 2012. Ecosystem services of pollinator diversity: a review of the relationship with pollen limitation of plant reproduction. Botany 90(7): 535-543.(special issue on pollination and conservation). https://doi.org/10.1139/b2012-017.

  4. Szabo*, N. D., S. R. Colla, D. L. Wagner, L. F. Gall, and J. T. Kerr. 2012. Do pathogen spillover, pesticide use, or habitat loss explain recent North American bumblebee declines? Conservation Letters 5: 232-239. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-263X.2012.00234.x.

2011

  1. Whittaker, R. J., and J. T. Kerr. 2011. In search of general models in evolutionary time and space. Journal of Biogeography 38: 2041-2042. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02608.x

  2. Algar*, A. C., J. T. Kerr, D. J. Currie. 2011. Quantifying the importance of regional and local filters for community trait structure in tropical and temperate regions. Ecology 92: 903-914. https://doi.org/10.1890/10-0606.1

  3. Burke*, R., J. Fitzsimmons*, and J. T. Kerr. 2011. A mobility index for Canadian butterfly species based on experts' knowledge. Biodiversity & Conservation 20: 2273-2295. (PDF)

  4. Coristine*, L., and J. T. Kerr. 2011. Habitat loss, climate change, and their implications for the conservation of biodiversity in Canada. Canadian Journal of Zoology 89: 435-451.   (PDF)

  5. Desrochers*, R., J. T. Kerr, and D. J. Currie. 2011. How, and how much, natural cover loss increases species richness. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20: 857-867.  (PDF)

  6. Kerr, J. T., M. Kulkarni*, and A. Algar*. 2011. Integrating theory and predictive modelling for conservation research. Predictive Species and Habitat Modeling in Landscape Ecology pp.9-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7390-0_2

2010

  1. Kulkarni*, M., R. Desrochers*, J. T. Kerr. 2010. High resolution niche models of malaria vectors in Northern Tanzania: a new capacity to predict malaria risk? PLoS One 5(2): E9396. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0009396

  2. Kharouba*, H. M., J. T. Kerr. 2010. Just passing through: Global change and the conservation of biodiversity in protected areas. Biological Conservation 143: 1094-1011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2010.02.002

  3. Fitzsimmons*, J., S. Schoustra, J. T. Kerr, R. Kassen. 2010. Population consequences of mutational events: effects of antibiotic resistance on the r/K trade-off. Evolutionary Ecology 24(1): 227-236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-009-9302-8

2009

  1. Szabo*, N., Algar*, A. C., and J. T. Kerr. 2009. Reconciling topographic and climatic effects on widespread and range-restricted species richness. Global Ecology and Biogeography 18: 735-744. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2009.00479.x

  2. Algar*, A. C., H. M. Kharouba*, E. R. Young*, and J. T. Kerr. 2009. Predicting the future of species diversity: macroecological theory, climate change, and direct tests of alternate forecasting methods. Ecography 32: 22-33. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.2009.05832.x

  3. Svenning, J.-C., J. T. Kerr, and C. Rahbek. 2009. Predicting future shifts in species diversity. Ecography 32: 3-4. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.2009.06024.x

  4. Bini et al. 2009. Coefficient shifts in geographical ecology: an empirical evaluation of spatial and non‐spatial regression. Ecography 32: 193-204. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0587.2009.05717.x

  5. Kharouba*, H. M., A. C. Algar*, and J. T. Kerr. 2009. Historically calibrated predictions of butterfly species' range shift using global change as a pseudo-experiment. Ecology 90: 2213-2222. https://doi.org/10.1890/08-1304.1

  6. Nativi, S., P. Mazzetti, H. Saarenmaa, J. T. Kerr, and E. O’Tuama. 2009. Biodiversity and climate change use scenarios framework for the GEOSS interoperability pilot process. Ecological Informatics 4:23-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2008.11.002

  7. Algar*, A. C., J. T. Kerr, and D. J. Currie. 2009. Evolutionary constraints on regional faunas: whom, but not how many. Ecology Letters 12: 57-65. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01260.x

2008

  1. Kharouba*, H. M., J. L. Nadeau*, E. Young*, and J. T. Kerr. 2008. Using species distribution models to effectively conserve biodiversity into the future. Biodiversity 9: 39-47. (PDF)

  2. Currie, D. J. and J. T. Kerr. 2008. Tests of the Mid-Domain Hypothesis: A Review of the Evidence. Ecological Monographs 78: 3-18. (PDF)

  3. Field, R., Hawkins, Cornell, Currie, Diniz-Filho, Guegan, Kaufman, J. T. Kerr, Mittelbach, Oberdorff, O'Brien, and Turner. 2008. Spatial species richness richness gradients across scales: a meta-analysis. Journal of Biogeography. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2008.01963.x

2007

  1. Kerr, J. T., H. M. Kharouba*, and D. J. Currie. 2007. The macroecological contribution to global change solutions. Science 316: 1581-1584.  https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1133267

  2. Currie, D. J., and J. T. Kerr. 2007. Testing, as opposed to supporting, the Mid-domain Hypothesis: a reply to Lees and Colwell. Ecology Letters 10: E9-E10. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01074.x

  3. Nativi, S., P. Mazzetti, H. Saarenmaa, J. T. Kerr, H. Kharouba, E. O Tuama, & S.J.S. Khalsa. 2007. Predicting the impact of climate change on biodiversity - a GEOSS scenario. The Full Picture. Published by Tudor Rose Press for Group on Earth Observations: pp.262-264. (PDF)

  4. Hawkins, B. A., J.A.F. Diniz-Filho, L. M. Bini, M. B. Araujo, R. Field, J. Hortal, J. T. Kerr, C. Rahbek, M. Rodriguez, N. J. Sanders. 2007. Metabolic theory and diversity gradients: where do we go from here? Ecology 88: 1898-1902. https://doi.org/10.1890/06-2141.1

  5. Hawkins, B. A., Fabio S. Albuquerque, Miguel B. Araújo, Jan Beck, Luis Mauricio Bini, Francisco J. Cabrero-Sañudo, Isabel Castro-Parga, José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Dolores Ferrer-Castán, Richard Field, José F. Gómez, Joaquín Hortal, J. T. Kerr, Ian J. Kitching, Jorge L. León-Cortés, Jorge M. Lobo, Daniel Montoya, Juan Carlos Moreno, Miguel Á. Olalla-Tárraga, Juli G. Pausas, Hong Qian, Carsten Rahbek, Miguel Á. Rodríguez, Nathan J. Sanders, and Paul Williams. 2007. A global evaluation of metabolic theory as an explanation for terrestrial species richness gradients. Ecology 88: 1877-1888. Listed as a Faculty of 1000 top paper. https://doi.org/10.1890/06-1444.1

  6. White*, P.J., and J. T. Kerr. 2007. Human impacts on environment-diversity relationships: evidence for biotic homogenization from butterfly species richness patterns. Global Ecology and Biogeography 16, 290-299. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2007.00298.x

  7. Kerr, J. T., and H. M. Kharouba*. 2007. Climate change and conservation biology. Theoretical Ecology, 3rd edition, R.M. May and A. Maclean, editors. Book home page at Oxford University Press here. Reviewed in Science.

  8. Algar*, A. C., J. T. Kerr, and D. J. Currie. 2007. A test of Metabolic Theory as the mechanism underlying broad-scale species richness gradients. Global Ecology and Biogeography 16: 170-178. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2006.00275.x

2006

  1. White*, P.J., and J. T. Kerr. 2006. Contrasting spatial and temporal global change impacts on butterfly species richness during the 20th century. Ecography 29: 908-918. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2006.0906-7590.04685.x

  2. Kerr, J. T., M. Perring*, and D. J. Currie. 2006. The missing Madagascan mid-domain effect. Ecology Letters 9: 149-159. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00860.x

  3. Deguise*, I., and J. T. Kerr. 2006. Protected areas and prospects for endangered species conservation. Conservation Biology 20: 48-55. (PDF)

  4. Olthof, I., D. Pouliot, R. Fraser, A. Clouston, S. Wang, W. Chen, J. Orazietti, J. Poitevin, D. McLennan, J. Kerr, & M. Sawada. 2006. Using satellite remote sensing to assess and monitor ecosystem integrity and climate change in Canada's National Parks. Proceedings of the International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium 2006. (PDF)

2005

  1. Kerr, J. T., and J. Cihlar. 2004. Land use mapping. Encyclopedia of Social Measurement. Elsevier. pp. 441-451.

2004

  1. Kerr, J. T., and I. Deguise*. 2004. Habitat loss and the limits to endangered species recovery. Ecology Letters 7: 1163-1169. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2004.00676.x

  2. Currie, D. J., G. G. Mittelbach, H. V. Cornell, R. Field, J.-F. Guegan, B. A. Hawkins, D. M. Kaufman, J. T. Kerr, T. Oberdorff, E. O'Brien, J. R. G. Turner. 2004. Predictions and tests of climate‐based hypotheses of broad‐scale variation in taxonomic richness. Ecology Letters 7(12): 1121-1134. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2004.00671.x

  3. Kerr, J. T. and J. Cihlar. 2004. Patterns and causes of species endangerment in Canada. Ecological Applications 14: 743-753. https://doi.org/10.1890/02-5117

2003

  1. Kerr, J. T., and M. Ostrovsky. 2003. From space to species: ecological applications for remote sensing. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 18: 299-305. (PDF)

  2. Hawkins, B. A., R. Field, H. V. Cornell, D. J. Currie, J.-F. Guegan, D. M. Kaufman, J. T. Kerr, G. G. Mittelbach, T. Oberdorff, E. E. Porter, and J. R. G. Turner. 2003. Energy, water, and broad-scale geographic patterns of species richness. Ecology 84: 3105-3117. https://doi.org/10.1890/03-8006

  3. Cihlar, J., B. Guindon, J. Beaubien, R. Latifovic, D. Peddle, M. Wulder, R. Fernandes, and J. T. Kerr. 2003. From need to product: a methodology for completing a land cover map of Canada with Landsat data. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing 29: 171-186. https://doi.org/10.5589/m02-090

  4. Kerr, J. T., and J. Cihlar. 2003. Land use and land use intensity estimation in Canada from SPOT4/VEGETATION and ancillary data. Global Ecology and Biogeography 12: 161-172. (PDF.)

2002 and before

  1. Kerr, J. T. and T. V. Burkey. 2002. Endemism, diversity, and the threat of tropical moist forest extinctions. Biodiversity and Conservation 11: 695-704. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015500513603

  2. Kerr, J. T., T. R. E. Southwood, and J. Cihlar. 2001. Remotely sensed habitat diversity predicts butterfly species richness and community similarity in Canada. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 98: 11365-11370. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.201398398

  3. Kerr, J. T. 2001. Global biodiversity: From description to understanding. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 16: 424-425. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-5347(01)02226-1

  4. Kerr, J. T. 2001. Butterfly species richness patterns in Canada: energy, heterogeneity, and the potential consequences of climate change. Conservation Ecology 5: 10. URL: https://www.consecol.org/vol5/iss1/art10.

  5. Kerr, J. T., A. Sugar, and L. Packer. 2000. Indicator taxa, rapid biodiversity assessment, and nestedness in an endangered ecosystem. Conservation Biology 14: 1726-1734. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2000.99275.x

  6. Kerr, J. T., and D. J. Currie. 1999. The relative importance of evolutionary and environmental controls on broad-scale patterns of species richness in North America. EcoScience 6: 329-337. https://doi.org/10.1080/11956860.1999.11682546

  7. Currie, D. J., J. T. Kerr, and A. Francis. 1999. Some general propositions about the study of spatial patterns of species richness. EcoScience 6: 392-399. (PDF)

  8. Sugar, A., Finnamore, A., Goulet, H., Cummings, G., Kerr, J. T., De Giusti, M., and Packer, L. 1999. A preliminary survey of Symphytan and Aculeate hymenoptera from oak savannas in southern Ontario. Proceedings of the Ontario Entomological Society 129: 9-18. (https://www.entsocont.com/p1998.htm)

  9. Kerr, J. T., and L. Packer. 1999. The environmental basis of North American species richness patterns among Epicauta (Coleoptera: Meloidae). Biodiversity and Conservation 8: 617-628. (PDF)

  10. Kerr, J. T. 1999. Weak links: ‘Rapoport's rule’ and large‐scale species richness patterns. Global Ecology and Biogeography 8: 47-54. (PDF)

  11. Kerr, J. T., R. Vincent, and D. J. Currie. 1998. Lepidopteran richness patterns in North America. EcoScience 5: 448-453. https://doi.org/10.1080/11956860.1998.11682483

  12. Kerr, J. T., & L. Packer. 1998. The Impact of Climate Change on Mammal Diversity in Canada. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 49: 261-268. (PDF)

  13. Kerr, J. T., & L. Packer. 1997. Habitat heterogeneity as a determinant of mammal species richness in high energy regions. Nature 385: 252-254. (PDF)

  14. Kerr, J. T. 1997. Species richness, endemism, and the choice of areas for conservation. Conservation Biology 11: 1094-1100. (PDF)

  15. Kerr, J. T., & D. J. Currie. 1995. Effects of human activity on global extinction risk. Conservation Biology 9: 1528-1538. (PDF)


LAB MEMBERS


 
 
 

Professor Jeremy Kerr

My work is focused on big questions in ecology and conservation, particularly on how species respond to climate change and extreme weather events. Much of my work has been at macroecological scales - considering species across countries, continents, or the globe. Whether working at macroecological or smaller spatial scales, citizen/community science data is something I value and try to use in my work. This has led to a collaboration on a community butterfly monitoring website.

Scientific discovery can only be truly impactful if it is communicated to the right people. Throughout my career I have been committed to communicating my results, and scientific results more generally, to the public. I also connect with political decision-makers whenever I can, and pursue opportunities to improve science-based policy in Canada.

Click here for more information.

jeremy.kerr(at)uottawa.ca

 
kerrwebbio.jpg

Olga Koppel

PhD Candidate

I study how evolutionary history and climate have historically influenced the distribution and phenology of bumblebees, and what this may tell us about their future. However, I’m passionate about ecology for the ‘big picture’, interdisciplinary approach it allows for answering all sorts of questions about our planet. In the past, I’ve delved into marine ecosystem dynamics, mycology, invasive plant interactions, and phylogenetics. I’m interested in gaining insight into how scientists, media, policy makers, and legislators interact to deliver science to the public. I’m super invested in Ottawa’s thriving arts/culture scene and love directing music ensembles. Follow me on twitter @oak_ottawa.

 
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Matthew Watson

PhD Candidate

I have always enjoyed being in nature and have followed that passion through my education and professional career. I completed my Undergraduate degree in biology at the University of Windsor where I studied communication in birds and how sources of artificial light affect nocturnal bird migration. I then completed my Masters degree at the University of Western Ontario studying how immune function genes contribute to migration survivorship in song sparrows. Following my Masters I worked in the field of environmental science at a non-profit organization focusing on assessing the health and biodiversity of the St Lawrence River ecosystem. I also taught as a professor at St Lawrence college in their science program.

I joined Jeremy’s lab in the fall of 2021 to pursue my PhD studying the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events on range dynamics of vertebrates. My hobbies include playing piano/guitar, hiking as many new trails as possible, and getting overly competitive with board games.

 
 
 
 

Gabrielle Ednie

PhD Candidate

Growing up, I would spend my summers working on my grand-parents’ farm. My love of the outdoors and passion for protecting the environment only grew from there. I completed my Bachelor’s degree at McGill University in Environmental Biology with a specialization in applied ecology. During my time there, I had the opportunity to participate in semester long field courses in East Africa, work at a biology field station, and complete my honours thesis with Dr. Kyle Elliott. It is through these opportunities that I found my passion for macroecology, remote sensing, and finding solutions to real world problems through research.

For my thesis project, I will be evaluating habitat capacity to provide microclimate refugia at ecologically relevant scales using ultrahigh resolution remote sensing. In other words, I will be using cutting edge remote sensing tools (e.g. thermal cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles - UAVs) to create maps of the thermal profile of local habitats and assess how small-scale changes in temperature influence the presence-absence of butterflies. I hope that my work may contribute to our understanding of how changing climates will impact species distributions on local scales.

In my free time, you can find me in rinks around the country being a goalie for the Gatineau National Ringette League team and coaching the next generation of players. The rest of my free time is spent in movie theatres or other dark rooms binging new and old movies/tv shows.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-ednie-97a286127

 
 
 
 
 

Susan Gordon

Postdoctoral researcher

I started my undergrad as an arts student at the University of Toronto, but my minor in biology led me to fall in love with ecology and evolution. I developed a passion for research through my undergrad thesis on beaver herbivory, and built on this by studying an ant-plant seed dispersal mutualism with Dr. Megan Frederickson after graduation. I continued to explore mutualisms as a lab manager and research technician in Dr. Marjorie Weber’s evolutionary biology lab at Michigan State University, working on a plant-mite defense mutualism. After finishing my PhD in the Kerr lab studying butterfly metacommunities, I’m excited to stick around and ask questions about butterfly populations and communities at a macroecological scale. When I’m not science-ing or science communicating I love to read, hike, and knit.

@SusansScience

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-gordon-3875561

 

Here is a partial list of Kerr lab alumni. These and their predecessors have gone on to great things! Many of these students have been nominated for prizes and awards as well.

PDFs: 
Dr. Shawn Leroux - Professor, Memorial U
Dr. Barbara Frei - Wildlife Biologist, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Dr. Maxim Larrivée - Director of Research, Montreal Insectarium
Dr. Paul Galpern - Professor, U Calgary
Dr. Manisha Kulkarni - Professor, uOttawa
Dr. Alana Taylor-Pindar - Research scientist, UoGuelph

PhD:
Dr. Susan Gordon*
Dr. Kirsten Crandall - Expert Scientific Advisor for Zoonoses, Institut national de santé publique du Québec
Dr. Catherine Sirois-Delisle - Project Coordinator, Nature Conservancy Canada Dr. Peter Soroye* - Key Biodiversity Areas Assessment and Outreach Coordinator, WCS Canada Dr. Adam Algar - Professor, Nottingham
Dr. Rachelle Desrochers - Data Analytics, CIHR
Dr. Laura Coristine - Liber Ero Fellow (PDF) and Research Scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada
Dr. Juan Zuloaga - Research Associate, McGill University

* National award from the Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution for doctoral thesis

MSc:
Sarah Chisholm - Spatial Ecologist, Apex RMS Anouk Paradis - Environmental Science PhD, l'Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue Marie-Bé Leduc - Parks Canada, Réserve de parc national de l'Archipel-de-Mingan
Emily Acheson - Spatial Epidemiology PhD, UBC
Cassandra Robillard - Museum of Nature
Rosana Soares - Environment and Climate Change Canada
Heather Kharouba - Professor, uOttawa

We have been lucky in having extraordinary research visitors:
Professor Diane Debinski, Iowa State University
Dr. Bronwyn Rayfield, McGill University

 

DR. JEREMY T. KERR


Selected Publications

  • Gordon, S., and J. T. Kerr. 2022. Floral diversity increases butterfly diversity in a multitrophic metacommunity. Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3735

  • Sirois-Delisle, C., and J. T. Kerr. 2021. Climate change aggravates non-target effects of pesticides on dragonflies at macroecological scales. Ecological Applications. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2494

  • Soroye, P., T. Newbold, and J. T. Kerr. 2020. Climate change contributes to widespread declines among bumble bees across continents. Science 367: 685-588. Perspectives piece here.

  • Soroye, P., N. Ahmed, and J. T. Kerr. 2018. Opportunistic citizen science data transform understanding of species distributions, phenology, and diversity gradients for global change research. Global Change Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14358

  • Kerr, J. T. 2017. A cocktail of poisons. Science 356: 1332-1333. DOI: 10.1126/science.aan6713.

  • Kerr J. T., Pindar A, Galpern P, Packer L, Roberts SM, Rasmont P, Schweiger O, Colla SR, Richardson LL, Wagner DL, Gall LF, Sikes DS, Pantoja A. 2015. Climate change impacts on bumblebees converge across continents. Science 349: 177-180.

Teaching

 

Biography

I am an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the Royal Society of Biology, and an invited member of Sigma Xi Scientific Honours society. I held the University Research Chair in Macroecology and Conservation from 2013 to 2023. I am a past President of the Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution, where I led work on EDI and on policy engagement. I am an alum of the Global Young Academy and have had research successes that are important to me, including Young Researcher of the YearEarly Researcher Award from Ontario, Science Ambassador for Canada (from Partners in Research), the Excellence in Media Relations prize for Research, and the University of Ottawa Leadership Award for Teaching for work on inclusive and online teaching practices during the pandemic. I was recently recognized as the Faculty of Science Researcher of the Year.

I did my undergrad at U of O in Biology and my honours project with David Currie and my PhD at York with Laurence Packer. I went on to a postdoc in Oxford with Bob May and Dick Southwood. I can't do either of these legendary scientists justice here. I ended up back in Ottawa as a research scientist in remote sensing with the stellar Josef Cihlar, and then full circle to Biology at University of Ottawa. I returned to Oxford for sabbatical as an elected Senior Research Fellow in Mansfield College and the Institute for Environment.

I try to give back more than I use. I am strongly engaged in public science and at the science-policy interface. Activities I’ve helped lead include improving endangered species legislation in Canada and Ontario, the development of federal policies around equity, diversity, and inclusion in research, boreal conservationmalaria challenges in East Africa and as a voice opposing the Orwellian perversion of facts and evidence at the federal level in Canada during a previous government. I worked with then Minister of Science, the Hon. Dr. Kirsty Duncan, to champion the proposal and development of Canada’s Chief Science Advisor, serve as an executive of NSERC Council as Chair of Discovery Research. I serve on NSERC Council Executive, a Governor-In-Council appointment (approved by Federal Cabinet and the Governor General).


 
 

Lab Values

 
 

Photo by Jeremy Kerr

Biodiversity Conservation

All of our work is motivated by the goal of improving prospects for species facing extirpation and extinction under global change. This can mean doing applied conservation work, or more basic work that informs our understanding of fundamental ecological interactions that strengthen foundations for conservation thinking. In other words, this lab’s research program blends curiosity-driven and applied research.

This value also motivates our science communication efforts. If we have results that could make practical differences for conservation, we want to make sure policy makers and the general public are aware of them.

Engaging with the public on topics in conservation and science more generally helps conservation. Lab members communicate with school and community groups through initiatives like Let’s Talk Science and Skype a Scientist, as well as through local groups in Ottawa. By sharing our passion for conservation and our knowledge, we hope to improve public understanding of challenges confronting species but also to illustrate that strategies exist to improve their prospects. Check out the Communication and Outreach page for more information (coming soon).


Discovery and Research

As a research lab, discovery is at the centre of our work. We aim to do impactful and innovative science, and hold ourselves to high standards of academic conduct. The end goal for all research projects is an academic publication, and the lab is proud to produce high-impact, well-cited journal articles. Publications are important for a number of reasons: they help us secure funding for future work, they help build lab member CVs and lead to exciting opportunities, and they communicate important findings to the scientific and conservation community.

To do this, we continually engage with the scientific literature, and work at the cutting edge of the field. This means compiling powerful datasets to answer questions in new ways, and designing field experiments to answer specific questions. We learn emerging techniques, such as modelling microclimates and collecting remote sensing data with drones, conduct advanced statistical analyses, and polish article drafts to a high standard.

Following article publication, we work to communicate our findings to the media and public. This can take many forms, and helps our work reach a broader audience inside and outside of the scientific community. We also present our work at important national and international scientific conferences. Check out the Communication and Outreach page for more information (coming soon).


Image credit Andy Brunning/Compound Interest

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

As a starting point, all lab members are expected to treat each other with kindness and respect. For a variety of reasons, some lab members may require more support than others, may need accommodations, or may need time to observe certain religious/cultural practices (ex. holidays). This is expected and welcomed: we want to create a space where everyone can succeed.

Lab members are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to educate themselves around EDI; in the past this has included book clubs and discussion groups in the department, as well as certificates through Let’s Talk Science and other organizations.

Dr. Jeremy Kerr has helped develop Federal policies on EDI in research, and has co-authored an open-access book on designing inclusive courses in higher education.

For more information about our lab EDI values, read this article.

Follow this link for the Biology Grad Student Association EDI Committee and resources.


Participation and Support

Participating in the lab as much as possible, and supporting other lab members, improves everyone’s experience. Engagement with other lab members is vital for learning and growth as a scientist, and lab members should spend time in the lab whenever possible. This also facilitates a feeling of community in the lab, and fosters connections between lab members. Everyone is expected to attend lab meetings during the year, except when field work or other research activities cause conflicts. Lab members are also expected to present talks or posters at scientific conferences, and attend departmental seminars when they intersect with our research interests. Lab members are encouraged to participate in science communication activities (i.e. Let’s Talk Science, BioMatters magazine), the uOttawa Biology Graduate Student Association (BGSA), and other science or department related organizations and events.

Colleagues can be great sounding boards for research ideas, lab protocols, methods for analysis, etc. Students and post-docs often review each other’s research proposals and scholarship applications, and lab members present to the lab for feedback before conferences and research committee meetings. Lab members are encouraged to introduce new members to Ottawa, include them in social events, and generally make everyone feel welcome. All lab members should attend lab MSc and PhD thesis defences, and should try to attend lab social events when possible (get excited for the yearly Mas-Kerr-Chef cooking competition!).

Supporting Dr. Cat Sirois-Delisle at her thesis defence.


Image credit Olga Strelnikova

Mental Health

By fostering a respectful and collaborative environment, and participating and supporting each other, we hope to build a foundation for good mental health in the lab.

In addition to this, we encourage students to respect their own limits, and create a healthy work-life balance for their time in the lab and beyond. This means working a reasonable number of hours and giving ourselves time off: depending on how you like to work this might be working 9-5 and taking weekends off, or working a more flexible schedule. In your down time we encourage you to relax and do things you enjoy - check out the Biology Graduate Student Association events or explore Ottawa! Vacations are also important, and we have a flexible approach to ensure everyone takes the time that they need.

Another important strategy is to celebrate the small wins. A research project can take a year or more from conception to publication, so setting smaller goals (finishing data collection, finishing analysis, presenting at a conference, first draft done!) can help keep you aware of all the progress you’re making.

Finally, if you are ever struggling with burnout, feeling overwhelmed, or experiencing other mental-health issues, remember that other lab members have likely been through the same thing, and you can always talk to Jeremy and your colleagues.

Check out this link for resources at uOttawa.

 
 
 

Join the Kerr lab at the University of Ottawa

Photo of lab members at Dr. Cat Sirois-Delisle’s PhD defence.


 

We are always looking for motivated and passionate people

Potsdocs

There are often opportunities to work together on projects - email Prof. Kerr with an expression of interest. More details coming soon.

Graduate Students

Students often bring their own ideas and interests to the lab, and we work collaboratively to plan research projects that both push the boundaries of knowledge and are exciting for lab members. Prospective students should ideally email me (Prof. Jeremy Kerr) well in advance of their proposed start time; this allows us to work together on initial project designs and application material before the deadlines for major graduate scholarships (NSERC, OGS, and FRQ). All students should apply for scholarships, although sometimes we can support students who do not have scholarships.

For information about life as a uOttawa graduate student, as well as a detailed guide to applying to graduate school, read the Graduate Studies Guidebook and Graduate School Applications Demystified guide here.

Undergraduate Students

There are often opportunities to work on projects in the lab - email Prof. Kerr if you are interested. More details coming soon.

Contact

jeremy.kerr(at)uottawa.ca

 

Media


Précis on media engagement:
The Kerr Lab does a lot of media work around biodiversity conservation, climate change, scientific integrity, and the development of science policy. We have been quoted in most major media outlets for both broadcast and print, as well as in the science press (e.g. Science and Nature) and popular science press (e.g. National Geographic, Scientific American, Popular Science, New Scientist, etc.).

Working with the media means keeping a different set of rules in mind when having a conversation. You’re always on the record unless it is explicitly agreed otherwise. It can be embarrassing if you get taken quoted out of context. Everyone makes mistakes when engaging in outreach. The trick is to avoid really big ones (e.g. saying something not supported by evidence or false claims about expertise). Never, ever claim a personal view is the same as a scientific view. This can (and should) kill credibility.

Care about what you’re saying and say it concisely, accurately, and memorably. Think about who is hearing you speak, not about how you most want to say something. 

We do a lot of outreach beyond traditional scientific venues. This is particularly important these days as a means of countering disinformation about basic scientific evidence for conservation and global change. We need to present the evidence as it actually exists to enable more informed decision-making. 

Public decision-making isn’t going to be made better if scientists don’t help the general public and political establishment understand the nature of discovery and the evidence that exists for some of the most pressing environmental challenges.


Globe and Mail science feature on the Kerr lab research project, eButterfly.

Interview on Quirks and Quarks following announcement of a national ban on neonicotinoid pesticides: link here. Canada will join France as the second country in the world with this ban. A triumph for evidence-based decision-making.

Jeremy’s full interview on Quirks and Quarks on neonicotinoid pesticides is live.

Jeremy Kerr is quoted in Popular Science on the issue of how and why neonicotinoid pesticides harm pollinators.

Calgary’s hive hobbyists raise awareness for honeybees
Media: The Globe and Mail
Date: September 25, 2015
Encouraging honeybee colonies in cities can be helpful but let’s remember the native pollinators also. 

Vanishing Canada: Why we’re all losers in Ottawa’s war on data
Media: Maclean’s 
Date: September 18, 2015
Harper’s Government has destroyed/degraded Canada’s capacity to measure most everything. Ideology before evidence.


How climate change shrank the tongues of  long-tongued bumblebees
Media: The Atlantic, Science Magazine, The Scientist, Mother Jones, Grist, etc. 
Date: September, 2015
Comments/perspectives on new research on rapid evolution in bumblebee traits as an indirect result of climate change.


1 in 6 species at risk without action on climate change, study finds 
Media: The Globe and Mail
Date: Thursday, April 30, 2015
Consensus predictions for climate change impacts indicate sharp increases in extinction rates 


‘Brontosaurus’ comes thundering back in science’s name game
Media: The Ottawa Citizen
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Taxonomic revisions are common and can change the public perceptions of well-known species.

Three species of bats added to Ottawa’s endangered animals list
Media: The Globe and Mail
Date: Friday, December 19, 2014
After a two year delay, and in contrast with rapid provincial action, the federal government has at last responded positively to the emergency listing request put forward by COSEWIC in 2012.


Protection for at-risk species falters
Media: The Globe and Mail
Date: Monday, December 1, 2014
Canada’s federal government has prevented new species from being added to the at-risk list for years, in apparent contravention of the requirements of the Species At Risk Act.


Bumblebees in trouble 

Media: CBC Radio 1
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2014
Bumblebee species are in danger of extinction and they need your help. Citizen science for bumblebees! 


Long winter may have lasting effects across Ontario
Publication: Global News
Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2014
After a long and cold winter, the first of its kind in decades, there could be substantial biological consequences, like rolling back newly-established populations of giant swallowtails across Eastern Ontario. Such species arrived recently because of rapid climate changes.

UN climate body backtracks on risk of species extinction
Publication: Toronto Star
Date: Monday March 31st, 2014
With regards to the risk of species extinction and climate change, Jeremy Kerr, Department of Biology, discloses that, "there is a lot of evidence of biological impact (of climate change) but there is not much evidence of specific extinction."

Biologists wait to see whether warm-weather insects survived brutal winter
Publication: Ottawa Citizen
Date: Tuesday April 1st, 2014
The giant swallowtail is a gorgeous butterfly from Canada’s extreme south. Biologists won’t know for certain until warm weather begins, but they’re watching to see whether the butterfly and other warm-weather insects will survive the coldest winter in 20 years. Jeremy Kerr, Department of Biology, reveals that this year will be especially insightful for understanding how climate change is going to alter the geographic range of species.

Monarch butterfly count in Mexico reveals steep decline
Publication: Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Austrian Tribune, Ottawa Citizen
Date: Tuesday March 26, 2014
Overwintering monarch butterflies in Mexico have declined sharply once again. The latest population size is the smallest ever recorded. Jeremy Kerr, uOttawa Research Chair in Macroecology and Conservation, comments on causes and prospects for recovery.



 

Media engagement around “Climate change impacts on bumblebees converge across continents”, published in Science (2015) and “Climate change contributes to widespread declines among bumble bees across continents”, published in Science (2020).

Media coverage for these papers was global. The first of these papers, edited by Dr. Sacha Vignieri at Science, was the subject of a press event that the American Association for the Advancement of Science organized. The AAAS and their chief press officer, Natasha Pinol, decided this work seemed significant (we were just happy to have addressed the reviewers’ comments) and we worked with them to assemble multimedia materials. Natasha’s efforts deserve great credit and so do those of the uOttawa media crew. A partial list of media that excludes much non-English coverage and most radio broadcasts. We will expand the list when we have a more complete picture of how this work was covered.

We were misquoted a few times and some media outlets suggested that climate change is a silver bullet killer for bumblebees, and that nothing else matters. That just isn’t right at all, and we never said or hinted at this. We did find a distinct effect of climate change that was not due to neonicotinoids or habitat changes, but we already know those factors kill bees. Honestly, how anyone can find it surprising that insecticides kill insects is beyond me (neonicotinoids are insecticides). Nevertheless, neonics and habitat losses are not a silver bullet explanation any more than climate change is. We are hitting bees with everything we’ve got. It’s like claiming that because smoking causes lung cancer, it is impossible to suffer health problems for any other reasons. 

Oh, and this work led to many wingnut emails also. We have been informed, in no uncertain terms, that we are secret agents for the pesticide industry, that cell towers cause global pollinator declines, and that Satan is responsible. Oh yes, and that tomatoes don’t need pollinators. Ever. The climate change deniers trolled out over this too, but didn’t say anything unusual or factual. We receive many nice messages also. 

It was also pretty cool that Leonardo Di Caprio and Margaret Atwood sent out messages on social media about our 2020 publication in Science.

Media engagement (partial):      
Bumblebees being crushed by climate change (Science Magazine)
Climate change crushes bee populations (Nature Magazine)
Climate change causing bumblebee habitat loss, say scientists (The Guardian)
Bumblebees trapped by warming climate, study finds (Globe and Mail)
Le territoire des bourdons se rétrécit sous l'effet du réchauffement climatique (Le Monde)
El mundo se queda sin abejorros (El Pais, in Spain and Brazil)
Klimawandel verkleinert Lebensraum fur Hummeln (Frankfurter Neue Presse)
Bees Are Losing Their Habitat Because of Climate Change (Time Magazine)
Buzz Kill for Bumblebees: climate change is shrinking their range (NPR All Things Considered)
Bumblebees Are Being Bumped Off by Climate Change, Scientists Say (NBC News)
10 Things to know for Friday (ABC News)
Bumblebees feeling the sting of climate change (CBS News)
Buzzkill: Global Warming Is Wiping Out the Bees (U.S News and World Report)
Climate 'vice' constricts bumblebees' natural ranges (BBC News)
Climate vice squeezes bumblebee habitat from north and south (New Scientist)
Climate Change Is Shrinking Where Bumblebees Range, Researchers Find (New York Times)
Bumblebee habitats are shrinking at an alarming rate, and scientists are blaming climate change (Washington Post)
Rising temperatures due to climate change are latest threat to bumblebees (Los Angeles Times)
Bumblebees Are Getting Trapped In A 'Climate Vise' As Hotter Temperatures Shrink Habitats (Think Progress)
Bumblebees Are Getting Squeezed by Climate Change (Smithsonian.com)
Climate change is killing off bumblebees: study (CBC National)
Global warming shrinks range of pollinating bumblebees (Scientific American)
We’re boiling the bumblebees (Business News Network)
Bumblebees Can't Handle the Heat, Can't Escape the Kitchen (Slate Magazine)
Buzzkill: global warming shrinks range of pollinating bumblebees (Daily Mail UK) (Aussi paru dans | Also appeared in 3 autres sources d'information | 3 other news outlets)
Bee population tumbling as global warming 'squeezes' them into smaller habitats (Mirror)
Scientists propose international effort to assist bumblebees to migrate further north after study finds rising temperatures linked to their decline (The Independent)
Climate Change Is Shrinking Bumblebee Habitats, Population: Study (International Business Times)
Bumblebees could be wiped out by global warming (Irish Examiner)
Plight of the bumblebee: climate change puts insect at risk (Irish Times)
Bumblebees are losing southern habitat as the climate warms (Mashable)
Le fragile vol du bourdon (Le Devoir)
(21:27 - 23:55) The National for July 9, 2015 (CBC News The National)
Study blames climate change for shrinking bumble bee populations (CTV News National) (Aussi paru dans | Also appeared in 27 autres sources d'information | 27 other news outlets)
Bumble bees struggling to survive warming world (Toronto Star)
Rising Temperatures Are Squishing Bumblebee Habitats (VICE)
Climate change killing off bumblebees at alarming rate: study (Global News National)
(3:20 - 5:40) Global National – July 9 (Global News National)
Global warming is the cause of bumblebee decline: study (CBC Radio - As It Happens)
New study points to climate change as cause for decline in bees (CBC Radio – All in a Day)
Bumblebees squeezed by 'climate vise,' study says (Ottawa Citizen) (Aussi paru dans | Also appeared in 8 autres sources d'information | 8 other news outlets)
Déclin rapide des bourdons en raison des changements climatiques (Le Droit)
Changements climatiques : les bourdons en péril, dit une étude (Radio-Canada) (Aussi paru dans | Also appeared in 2 autres sources d'information | 2 other news outlets)
Bumblebees at risk of extinction as climate change shrinks range (Metro Canada) (Aussi paru dans | Also appeared in 5 autres sources d'information | 5 other news outlets)
Réchauffement climatique : urgence pour les bourdons (24 Matins)
Climate change is putting a deadly squeeze on bumblebee populations worldwide (The Verge)
Warmer climate threatens to have a devastating effect on bee populations (Western Morning News)
Bumblebees and Narrowing Range: Climate Change is Only Reason (Nature World News)
A 'Climate Vise' is Squeezing Bumble Bees' Range (Climate Central)
Bumblebee Habitat Shrinking Due to Climate Change, Plus 12 Other Animals at Risk (Weather)
Earth Is Losing Its Bumblebees (Live Science)
Climate Change is Destroying Bee Habitat and Shrinking Bumblee Populations (Science World Report)
Global Warming Causing Great Loss of Bumblebee Habitat, Say Researchers (Sci-News)
Here's Why All the Bees Are Dying (Mother Jones)
It's too hot for bumblebees in the south—and they're not moving north (Quartz)
Research shows bumble bees suffering in a changing climate (Calgary Herald)
Bumblebees dying, losing ground due to climate change (Straits Times)
Bumblebees are no longer travelling thanks to climate change, says new study (Metro 52.2M)
Study reveals alarming effects of climate change on bumble bees (Digital Journal)
Bumblebees Are Dying Out Thanks To Climate Change (Vocativ)
Bumble bee ranges rapidly shrinking across continents due to climate change (660 News)
Bumble bees struggling to survive warming world (Our Windsor) (Aussi paru dans | Also appeared in 3 autres sources d'information | 3 other news outlets)
Study: Bumblebees in North America, Europe feeling climate change's sting (Guelph Mercury)
Climate Change Is Shrinking Where Bumblebees Range, Researchers Find (Demanjo)