Guelph Ecosystem Services Team
In partnership with the University of Guelph’s research initiative Food From Thought, a team of researchers from the University of Guelph and McGill University formed the Ecosystem Services team to better understand how agricultural practices can affect biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Funded by a $76.6 Million Grant
The research done by the Food From Thought research team will help us to better feed a growing population without damaging valuable ecosystem services. The research funded by Canada's First Research Excellent Fund aims to improve both the sustainability and productivity of agricultural production at a both a global and local scale.
Six Broad Categories of Research
Food From Thought works with world-leading researchers from multiple disciplines to establish Canada as a global leader in agri-food and sustainability. The integration of diverse topics of research will allow Food From Thought to analyze trends in agricultural practices and their resulting impact on biodiversity.
The Ecosystem Services Members
Dr. John Fryxell
Dr. John Fryxell is the executive director for the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO) and professor and researcher at the University of Guelph. Dr. Fryxell is testing how ecosystems respond to rapid environmental change using experimental ecosystems at BIO.
Dr. Kevin McCann
Dr. Kevin McCann is a professor and researcher at the University of Guelph. Dr. McCann's research focuses on the role biodiversity plays in ecological systems with a focus on aquatic systems. His lab is heavily collaborative between ecologists from different backgrounds in order to better solve ecological problems.
Dr. Andrew MacDougall
Dr. Andrew MacDougall is an associate professor and researcher at the University of Guelph. Dr. Macdougall's research works in close collaboration with ALUS Canada to observe the structure of plant communities on working farms and how these processes can be altered by global environmental change.
Dr Andrew Gonzalez
Dr. Andrew Gonzalez is an associate professor at the University of McGill and the founding director of the Quebec Center for Biodiversity Science. Dr. Gonzalez's research investigates changes in biodiversity and its resulting impact on ecosystem health and human well-being.
Dr Melania Cristescu
Dr Gregor Fussmann
Dr. Gregor Fussmann is a professor and Chair of the Biology department at the University of McGill. Dr. Fussmann's research is interested in the ecology and evolution of communities and populations.
Terrestrial Ecosystems
Most crop productivity is limited by management. The research done by the Ecosystem Services team and Food From Thought will refine the management style of farmers to help close the global yield gap whilst ensuring natural environments and services are conserved.
Aquatic Ecosystems
Through observing the dynamic relationship between stream, nutrients, and pesticides the Ecosystem Services team can better understand how coastal ecosystems are impacted by these variables. In addition to the associated impact on the aquatic organisms and the intricate food webs these ecosystems contain.
Experimental Ecosystems
By observing the responses of zooplankton and algae under controlled experimental conditions the Ecosystem Services team will develop models of food web dynamics that allow us to better manage aquatic ecosystems challenged by rapid environmental change.