Dr. Shawn Leroux | Boreal At Memorial

The Ecology of Shawn Leroux

BA Environmental Studies.university of Ottawa
MSc Conservation Biology, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta
PhD Ecology, Department of Biology, McGill University

Dr. Leroux is new to Memorial University and so much of his work has been done elsewhere. However, the vast majority of his work has been done in the Boreal forest making him a prime target for an interview. He mainly focuses on ecosystem ecology and has a strong interest in conservation ecology.

In his own words, Shawn makes a point that he is particularly interested in; “1) how organisms, energy, and material fluxes between ecosystems impacts the functioning of coupled ecosystems (e.g. aquatic-terrestrial ecotone) and 2) how top consumers influence critical life supporting services like ecosystem nutrient cycling. My lab uses data synthesis, mathematical modelling, spatial analyses and field-based research to study biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.” Upon review of his work it’s is also quickly evident that Leroux must love GIS software.

The Boreal region is a dynamic ecosystem shaped by large scale natural disturbances (fire, insect-defoliation) and because of this it represents a challenge for conservation planners. Shawn has done such work in collaboration with the BEACONS project by developing methods for designing conservation networks and site specific protected areas. This includes the development of new protected areas of the Northwest Territories’ woodland where Shawn investigated whether areas which are suitable habitat for woodland caribou were also areas that local native peoples, the Qwich’in were interested in preserving as culturally significant sites. However, as this study has shown, these two groups did not have interest in the same land as the woodland caribou often preferred lichen rich, higher elevations and the Qwich’in heritage sites where places of lower attitude that include aquatic areas. These types of studies not only consider which areas must be protected but also how large the protected area must be in order for it to be sufficient at conserving the targeted species.

To stay up to date with Dr. Leroux and his research efforts check out his site http://shawnleroux.wix.com/lerouxlab

Shawn has also investigated how many species’ distributions are determined by climate. Commonly used methods for predicting species reactions to a changing climate do not incorporate suspect processes that may be responsible such as dispersal and population growth rate. Shawn and his colleagues have applied mathematical models for the spatial spread of indicator species under climate change conditions and have tested the predictions of these models against empirical butterfly occurrence and abundance data. An indicator species is one whose presence, absence, or relative well-being in a given environment is indicative of the health of its ecosystem as a whole. Butterflies were chosen in this instance primarily because they are ectotherms making them highly susceptible to temperature changes in their environment. Butterflies are also highly mobile giving them the ability to adjust their range somewhat more quickly than some other ectotherms.