Research summary
The questions of how many species are in any given landscape and how they assemble in ecosystems are among the most important ones in ecology. The answers are essential for predicting how ecosystems will respond to both natural and human disturbances and can inform critical decisions about how best to conserve and manage biodiversity. Although numerous methods have been proposed to count and estimate the number of species in landscapes, it is unclear how effective these are.
Dr. Fangliang He, Canada Research Chair in Biodiversity and Landscape Modelling, is developing methods to improve how we estimate species diversity, synthesize diversity patterns and test hypotheses about biodiversity mechanisms. He and his research team are shedding light on the central processes that drive change in species diversity and predicting the impact of changes in our climate and land use on biodiversity. Ultimately, their findings will support sustainable ecosystem management and inform innovative land use policies in Canada and elsewhere.