The Starzomski Lab

Ian McTaggart-Cowan 1910-2010

Science and art have in common intense seeing, the wide-eyed observing that generates empirical information.
             -Edward Tufte

We conduct research in community ecology, restoration ecology, and conservation biology in the School of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria. Broadly, this research takes three forms, but focuses on the determinants of local diversity in light of climate change.  In particular,
we work in the field, conducting experiments and observational studies to look at changes in community pattern and structure of alpine plant communities in the Coast Mountains of southwestern British Columbia. We also do lab and field-based microcosm experiments to test the effects of warming and landscape change on speciose communities.  Finally, we conduct meta-analyses of large data sets, especially with regard to trophic structure and diversity sampling issues.  One of our main goals is to have interesting experimental field work balanced with rigorous analysis of available datasets. We are located in the Restoration and Conservation Lab, in the Social Sciences and Mathematics building.

Opportunities available

NEW: 

Environmental cuts put biodiversity at risk- Op ed piece in the Times Colonist, May 2012

Photos from Summer 2011 field work

The lab is now full, though I will likely be accepting 1 or 2 graduate students to work on questions related to spatial structure and change in alpine plant and animal communities for September 2013.  Contact me here if interested, though see the information below first. Please read this page to see the sorts of things you need to know about grad school in my lab:





                  

                            amro